In a last-ditch bid to get the US Congress to act on gun control, President Barack Obama has raised the emotional pitch by ferrying relatives of victims of the Connecticut school massacre to Washington on his Air Force One to apply moral pressure on lawmakers.
But the Senate Republicans, strong supporters of gun rights, let it be known that they are going to stick to their guns as it were, with Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell announcing that he would join 13 other Republican Senators in a proposed filibuster to block consideration of the gun legislation.
As it is, the legislation has already been greatly watered down, stripping off key provisions such as banning military-style assault weapons, for fear that the whole initiative will flounder. The only provision of consequence that has been retained is mandatory background checks of those who buy guns.
Coinciding with the Congress reconvening after a two-week recess, President Obama flew into Connecticut once again to join the grieving families of the Newtown elementary school massacre last December and demand early passage of the Bill.
“Every family in this state was shaken by the tragedy of that morning. Every family in this country was shaken. We hugged our kids more tightly….And as a society, we decided that we have to change. We must,” Obama said at Hartford, telling the lawmakers that the ball is now in their court.
Commending the Connecticut legislature and some other States including New York, Colorado and Maryland that have passed their own “common-sense gun safety reforms”, Obama thundered: “Now is the time for Congress to do the same.”
“If our democracy’s working the way it’s supposed to and 90 per cent of the American people agree on something, in the wake of a tragedy, you’d think this would not be a heavy lift. And yet some folks back in Washington are already floating the idea that they may use political stunts to prevent votes on any of these reforms. Think about that,” he said.
“We have to tell Congress it’s time to require a background check for anyone who wants to buy a gun so that people who are dangerous to themselves and others cannot get their hands on a gun. let’s make that happen,” he said, telling lawmakers it’s time to crack down on gun trafficking and strengthen school safety.
As the Republican Senators threatened to hold up the Bill, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid came down hard on them, saying: “Shame on them….There is simply no reason for this blatant obstruction.”