Congress is talking about changing the nation’s gun laws but won’t touch the idea of banning “assault weapons.”
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) said on Sunday the current negotiations in response to the recent spate of mass shootings are spurring the most serious and productive talks he’s ever been a part of.
“I’ve never been part of negotiations as serious as these,” Murphy said. “There are more Republicans at the table talking about changing our gun laws and investing in mental health than at any time since Sandy Hook.”
CONGRESSIONAL CHAMBERS APPROACH NEW GUN LAWS DIFFERENTLY
Major conversations on the table are about hashing out what Congress might do to expand background checks for people looking to purchase guns, establishing red flag laws, and making large investments in mental health systems, Murphy said. Texas does not have a red flag law in place, though Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said he would be open to talking with Murphy to learn more about them.
Cornyn recently tweeted about Senate negotiations over gun control restrictions. Even with all the cooperation, there won’t be a vote to restrict anyone’s Second Amendment rights, Cornyn said.
Not gonna happen https://t.co/dZTmfvBEbz
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) June 2, 2022
On Sunday, Murphy said he agreed with Cornyn.
“We’re not going to do anything that compromises people’s Second Amendment rights,” Murphy said. “We’re not going to do anything that compromises the ability of a law-abiding American to be able to buy a weapon. What we’re talking about is trying to make sure that dangerous or potentially dangerous individuals don’t have their hands on weapons.”
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Jake Tapper pressed Murphy on gun statistics showing that most gun deaths in the country are suicides and more murders are committed using handguns than AR-style semi-automatic weapons.
Murphy returned to the emphasis on red flag laws, saying they are “probably the most important here.”
Lawmakers are also considering raising the age requirement for purchasing AR-style semi-automatic weapons from 18 to 21, which is the current requirement for purchasing a handgun.
