President Obama is open to supporting a House Republican bill aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of suspected terrorists but needs to see its details first, the top White House spokesman said Thursday.
“I think the details here are rather important,” press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters in his daily briefing. “… The president’s view is a simple one: If it’s too dangerous for you to board a plane, it should be too dangerous for you to buy a gun.”
A law restricting gun purchases by people on government terrorism watch lists, Earnest said, is a “commonsense” step supported by a majority of the public, including gun owners. He described it as “commonsense” seven times in answering the question.
“I’m not surprised that it’s getting strong public support across the country,” he added.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., announced in a conference call with lawmakers Thursday that he will hold a vote on the gun-control bill next week. Democrats cranked up pressure for legislation in the wake of the June 12 Islamist terrorist attack in Orlando, the worst mass shooting in the country’s history.
Democrats staged a 25-hour sit-in on the House floor after the Orlando attack. They are wary, however, that GOP leaders will try to pass a less far-reaching bill supported by the National Rifle Association.
Republican leaders decline to provide details of their porposed legislation.
