ON THE HILL: House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer gives insight into gun control negotiations
WASHINGTON - With the recent mass shootings happening across the country in Buffalo, Texas, and even here in Maryland, and the general rise in gun violence, discussion are ramping up about what can be done to fix the problem.
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FOX 5's On The Hill program hosted House Majority Leader and Maryland Representative Steny Hoyer to talk about several hot button issues in Congress, including negotiations on gun control.
FOX 5's Tom Fitzgerald asked Leader Hoyer about his hopes for the Senate getting a deal done on gun control.
"I certainly hope so. You know, the bills that we passed through the, and we did by title, we passed one bill with six different provisions. Each one of the provisions overwhelmingly supported by the American people. But that is not a predictor of what the senate will do because we passed over comprehensive background checks last year and a waiting period to make sure that the background check gets back in time. We know in South Carolina matter, in Charleston, Mother Emmanuel Church, Roof, who was the killer, could not have bought the gun had they waited to get the background check, but they didn't wait for the time. So, overwhelmingly supported, I hope the senate, and I believe that the talks that John Cornyn and Chris Murphy and other senators are participating in, will bear fruit."
The interview happened hours before the Senate announced it had reached a bipartisan framework offering state crisis intervention orders, funding for school safety resources, an enhanced review process for buyers under the age of 21 and penalties for straw purchasing.
The proposal falls far short of tougher steps long sought by President Joe Biden and many Democrats. Even so, the accord was embraced by Biden Sunday.
While speaking with FOX 5 Sunday morning, Hoyer hinted that we would support any type of gun control bill that makes it through the Senate saying, "we’re going to take what we can get."
Hoyer noted that, while House Democrats do want gun control legislation to be passed, they are hoping for certain provisions they want to be included in whatever bill is passed, including red flag laws, age limits on buying guns, and strict rules for safe storage of guns.
Hoyer explained to Tom Fitzgerald that red flag laws could be one of the more important provision because they could help curb future mass shootings by identifying potential shooters before they act.
"In over half of these cases over the last seven or eight years, you’ve had some indication that the shooter, the killer, had some mental health problems, had some anger problems, and indicated that he was possibly going to use a weapon, a gun, at a school or at some other venue," said Hoyer.
To watch the full interview and hear the other topics discussed with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer click the video above.
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