Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday slammed a slew of Democrat-proposed gun control measures Tuesday, saying the bills penalize law-abiding gun owners while doing little to stop mass shootings.
Speaking at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on gun violence, the Texas Republican accused Democrats of playing “ridiculous theater” with Second Amendment rights.
“What happens in this committee after every mass shooting is Democrats propose taking guns away from law-abiding citizens because that is their political objective, but what they propose not only does it not reduce crime, it makes it worse,” Mr. Cruz said.
“When you disarm law-abiding citizens, you are more likely to make them victims,” he continued. “If you want to stop these murders, go after the murderers.”
The panel is holding the hearing on gun violence less than 24 hours after a mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado, left at least 10 people dead. A shooting spree last week at Atlanta-area spas resulted in the deaths of eight people.
Senate Democrats are urging their colleagues to support two gun control measures passed by the House last month.
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The legislation would impose stricter background checks on all commercial gun sales and transfers, give the FBI more time to conduct background checks, and close loopholes that enable a person to acquire a gun before the background check is complete.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Democrat, said the recent spate of violence emphasized the need to pass these measures. He blasted Republicans for doing nothing more than offering “thoughts and prayers” in response to the shootings.
“Inaction has made this horror completely predictable,” he said. “Inaction by this Congress makes us complicit.”
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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