Here are the lawmakers calling for gun control in the wake of Florida shooting
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Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel says there are multiple casualties in a shooting at a high school in South Florida. (Feb. 14)
AP
Several lawmakers called for gun control on Wednesday, in the wake of a shooting that left at least 17 people dead at a Florida high school.
Following reports of the shooting, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., took to the Senate floor to criticize congressional inaction on gun issues. Congress has long stalled on such issues, even in the face of multiple deadly shootings year after year.
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Murphy — who represents Newtown, Conn., the site of a shooting that left 20 children and six adults dead — has long been a gun control advocate.
“I’m coming to the floor to talk about something else, but let me just note once again for my colleagues: this happens nowhere else other than the United States of America,” he said. “It only happens here not because of coincidence, not because of bad luck, but as a consequence of our inaction. We are responsible for a level of mass atrocity that happens in this country with zero parallel anywhere else.”
As for Florida’s own senators, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., shared his condolences, but did not specifically call for gun control.
Just spoke to Broward School Superintendent. Today is that terrible day you pray never comes.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 14, 2018
But Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., was among the many other voices who said that something needed to be done. He called the shooting “bad for Florida and the country.
“We ought to say enough is enough,” he said on CNN. “The question is once you get into the investigation: How did the shooter obtain the weapon? Was it a high-caliber weapon? Was it obtained lawfully? And, if so, that ought to have people start thinking about such things as background checks on the purchase of a gun and the question of an assault rifle if in fact one was used.â€
Other lawmakers have also called for gun control.
Keeping the students and victims at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in my thoughts today.
We need more than moments of silence. Congress must take action to stop these tragedies. #EndGunViolence
— Rep. Mark Pocan (@repmarkpocan) February 14, 2018
Republicans should pray for forgiveness, for not only their complacency and dereliction of duty, but in contrition for the men, women and children we continue to lay to rest because of senseless gun violence and the cowardly inaction from Congress.
— Bonnie WatsonColeman (@RepBonnie) February 14, 2018
Another day, another shooting, indeed, multiple shootings today, while Congress sits in the grip of the NRA, incapable of making the slightest gesture toward reasonable gun safety.
— Lloyd Doggett (@RepLloydDoggett) February 14, 2018
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