Del. Senator Tom Carper addresses push for Congress to act on gun control

MAGNOLIA, Del. – After two back to back tragedies, the number of people calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to cancel the chamber’s August recess so lawmakers can deal with gun control legislation, is growing. Delaware Senator Tom Carper was in Kent County Wednesday and tells 47ABC that a number of lawmakers in Congress are calling on the Senate to vote on gun background check legislation in the wake of two deadly mass shootings in Texas and Ohio. The House passed two background check bills in February but the Senate has, so far, failed to act. Senator Carper says he’s willing to work on these bills if he’s called back into session.

“For me it’s an easy thing to do and I’d be happy to, I might be the first one there. To make sure that the guns that people can have under the 2nd amendment make sure that they’re not going to people that are criminals, they’re not going to people who are mentally unstable, and they’re not going to go to people who oppose a threat to the rest of us. We can do a better job here,” said Senator Tom Caper (D)-Delaware.

One of the bills would establish new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties. The other bill would extend the review period for the FBI to complete its background checks for gun purchases from three days to 10 days.