The White House has indicated it wants to take gun control seriously.
- President Donald Trump, elected leaders offer suggestions
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President Donald Trump tweeted this on Tuesday night:
Whether we are Republican or Democrat, we must now focus on strengthening Background Checks!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 21, 2018
Trump directed the Justice Department to move to ban devices like the rapid-fire bump stocks used in last year’s Las Vegas mass shooting.
Many lawmakers are also pushing for a ban on assault-type weapons and raising the age limit to buy an AR-15.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has been under fire in the media for his pro-gun rights voting record and his A plus rating from the NRA.
Speaking on the Senate floor last week, Rubio said that most of the gun laws being proposed would not have prevented the Parkland shooting that left 17 dead. Nikolas Cruz, 19, has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder, one for each person killed in the deadly shooting
However, Rubio has been fighting back against those criticisms on social media, giving a clearer indication of where he stands.
It’s called gun-violence restraining order & can be crafted to respect 2nd Amendment & right to due process #Sayfie https://t.co/TtzrVmu1h1
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 18, 2018
He supports the idea of a gun-violence restraining order that would temporarily deny a troubled person access to guns.
He also says there needs to be a task force to examine mass shootings in America.
Seminole and Orange counties U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy responded to Rubio's proposal asking him to also support her bill to repeal the Dickey Amendment, a law that has prevented the Center for Disease Control from studying gun violence.
Good to hear, @SenatorRubio. Now let's work together to repeal #DickeyAmendment so @CDCgov & other federal agencies can research gun violence to help us save lives. @SecAzar agrees. My BIPARTISAN bill (#HR1478) would repeal the amdnt. https://t.co/bIdGBcbJE7 #FL07 #FlaPol #sayfie
— Rep Stephanie Murphy (@RepStephMurphy) February 20, 2018
Only time will tell which of these ideas could eventually become a law.