Top Democratic Sen. Charles E. Schumer said Wednesday that Republicans are undergoing a “welcome shift” on gun control, but said the proposals they’re talking about don’t go far enough to clamp down on availability of firearms.
Mr. Schumer said President Trump has led the way in the past on opposing new laws, but appears to be softening that stance, after announcing Tuesdayhe had ordered the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to regulate bump stocks that allow semiautomatic rifles to achieve the firing rate of automatic rifles.
But Mr. Schumer said executive action isn’t enough, and said it will need a change in law to avoid lengthy legal battles.
“He should call on Congress to pass Senator Feinstein’s bill to ban bump stocks, rather than just draft memos,” Mr. Schumer said. “On far too many issues, this administration has been all talk and little action — we can’t afford that approach when it comes to curbing gun violence.”
The New York Democrat, in a statement, also said Congress must have a much broader debate about expanding background checks. He warned against coupling any background check fixes with a bill to expand concealed-carry rights — an approach the GOP-controlled House took.
The leading background check proposal, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Sens. John Cornyn, Texas Republican, and Christopher Murphy, Connecticut Democrat, would push federal and state agencies to make sure they are sending records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which is the mandatory system federally licensed firearms dealers are required to query before completing a gun purchase.
Mr. Schumer said that bill “won’t come close to making a significant dent in the problem.”
Mr. Schumer is looking for action in light of the latest school shooting spree, this time in Florida, where a former student massacred 17 students and faculty at his old high school.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.