Congressional Democrats marked a year since the introduction of gun control legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. That legislation has since stalled in the Senate.
The bill would strengthen background checks for gun purchases. It passed the Democrat-led House. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York blamed Republicans for blocking it in the Senate.
“After El Paso and Dayton, President Trump and Leader McConnell once again said the same thing. And I remember then, they promised that background checks would be front and center. You know how much action McConnell has given us in the Senate on background checks? Zero! Put ‘em up, zero everybody!”
U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut also blamed McConnell, saying the Majority Leader did it at the behest of the National Rifle Association.
“If you are with the NRA, your time here in Washington is short. It is coming to an end. And so there’s a choice to be made for Mitch McConnell. Either he’s going to continue to allow the NRA to be in charge of the United States Senate or he is going to be the minority leader very soon.”
Lawmakers spoke alongside members of March for Our Lives and Moms Demand Action, two gun control advocacy groups.
A spokesperson for the NRA called the bill extreme when it passed the House of Representatives last year.
