President Donald Trump announced Friday morning that congressional leaders in the House and the Senate were in "serious discussions" about "meaningful background checks" for gun buyers. Congress is also hearing from the National Rifle Association and other gun groups who oppose gun control legislation.
"Serious discussions are taking place between House and Senate leadership on meaningful Background Checks. I have also been speaking to the NRA, and others, so that their very strong views can be fully represented and respected. Guns should not be placed in the hands of mentally ill or deranged people," Trump tweeted Friday morning. "I am the biggest Second Amendment person there is, but we all must work together for the good and safety of our Country. Common sense things can be done that are good for everyone!"
On Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) issued a statement saying they spoke with the president and urged him to get Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to let the Senate take up and pass a bill already forwarded by the House on universal background checks.
"The President gave us his assurances he would review the bipartisan House-passed legislation and understood our interest in moving as quickly as possible to help save lives," the statement read.
The legislation approved by House Democrats would expand and improve the background check system.
However, any action by Congress in the near future is unlikely. Lawmakers are scattered across the country as Congress is currently recessed. McConnell has indicated that there are no plans to call Congress back into session before September to address the gun violence crisis.
Calls for some kind of legislation on gun violence have increased in recent days after a gunman entered an El Paso, Texas Walmart last week and killed 22 people. Less than 24-hours later, a second gunman opened fire outside a bar in Dayton, Ohio, killing 9 people and injuring 26 more.
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