Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ripped Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Sunday for offering his thoughts and prayers to victims of an El Paso, Texas shooting over the weekend while he’s “sitting” on a bipartisanship background check bill passed by the House.
“The House passed HR8, a Bipartisan Background Checks Act, *5 months ago* and the Senate has yet to vote on it. It was one of our 1st major priorities after ending the gov shutdown. You’ve been sitting on it since February giving bogus excuses. Care to explain the people why?” the New York Democrat said.
Mr. McConnell, who said he was “horrified” by the “senseless” violence Saturday and offered “prayers” to their victims and their families, has yet to bring the background check bill to a vote and has bragged about being the “grim reaper” of Democratic legislation in the past.
The bill would “require a background check for every firearm sale.”
President Trump called for tougher laws to deny firearms from mentally ill people, and denounced white nationalism Monday in the wake of mass shootings in Texas and Ohio last weekend that claimed 29 lives.
In an address to the nation, the president said he supports “red flag” laws to take away guns and possibly order involuntary confinement for people before they kill. And he said he has directed the Justice Department to work with social-media companies to identify people who are a danger to society.
“We can and will stop this evil contagion,” the president said at the White House.
• David Boyer contributed to this report.
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