Senate Democrats, Republicans Meet To Focus On Gun Violence

Senate Democrats and Republicans will meet together Tuesday over Zoom to discuss possible gun control legislation. The meeting is in response to the mass shooting that killed 19 young students and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas on May 24.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell picked Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn to lead the bipartisan effort on gun violence, someone President Joe Biden has called “a rational Republican.” Cornyn said he has already been having phone discussions with Democrats about how to move forward.

“We’re already having those discussions in person and on the phone. Look forward to meeting on Tuesday through a Zoom call to try to see if we can agree on a basic framework about how we go forward,” Cornyn told reporters Monday in San Antonio.

“I think Sen. McConnell is a rational Republican. I think Cornyn is as well. I think there’s a recognition in their party that they — we can’t continue like this,” Biden said when asked if he would be working with Republicans on legislation after the Texas shooting.

Democrats in the House will reportedly be pushing a list of gun control bills in the coming days and weeks. The legislation will be led by Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee. Democrats are considering eight proposals, Punchbowl News first reported Tuesday. The proposals include bills to stop gun trafficking, ban the import, sale, manufacture, transfer or possession of high-capacity magazines, raise the purchase age for certain rifles from 18 to 21 and promote safer storage of guns, according to Axios. (RELATED: Senate Republicans Block Domestic Terrorism Bill)

Democrats are calling the package of eight bills the “Protecting Our Kids Act.” (RELATED: House Democrats To Push List Of Gun Control Bills)

Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy will lead the negotiations for Democrats.

The other Senate lawmakers working on a framework are Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Joe Manchin, Kyrsten Sinema, Martin Heinrich, Susan Collins, Pat Toomey, Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy.

“I met with Senator Cornyn this morning. As you know he went home yesterday to see the family members and begin the fact finding of this awful massacre and I have encouraged him to talk with Sen. Murphy and Sen. Sinema and others who are interested in trying to get an outcome that is directly related to the problem. I am hopeful that we could come up with a bipartisan solution,” McConnell told CNN on Thursday.

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