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John Cornyn, 'linchpin' of a gun safety deal, seeks to tame GOP fears on gun rights
As bipartisan talks on legislation to tackle gun violence heat up, the chief Senate Republican negotiator, John Cornyn of Texas, has found himself in a
Politics
WASHINGTON — As bipartisan talks on legislation to tackle gun violence heat up, the chief Senate Republican negotiator, John Cornyn of Texas, has found himself in a familiar place: swatting away unfounded claims that the Senate is scheming to trample the Second Amendment.
“I want to be clear, though: We are not talking about restricting the rights of current law-abiding gun owners or citizens,” Cornyn said Monday in a floor speech. “What I’m interested in is keeping guns out of the hands of those who, by current law, are not supposed to have them: people with mental health problems, people who have criminal records.”
The remarks cut to the heart of the explosive gun politics within the Republican Party, which have been the main obstacle to Congress’ taking major action for decades, even as mass shootings become frequent in the U.S. Gun rights activists have depicted previous proposals to tackle gun violence, even if modest and popular, as slippery slopes to snatching their weapons.
In a Senate in which rural, pro-gun states are overrepresented as a share of the population, that has been a powerful force in scuttling bills to limit access to deadly weapons, with Republican senators leery of blowback if they vote for new restrictions.
Taming that perception is goal No. 1 for reaching a deal.
“I’m a proud supporter of the Second Amendment,” Cornyn said.
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the top Democratic negotiator, said this time feels different after the spate of horrific mass shootings from Buffalo, New York, to Uvalde, Texas, to Philadelphia.
“Parents are scared to death we’re going to do nothing. Ultimately, the vast majority of Americans are demanding we step up and do something,” he said.
McConnell blesses Cornyn's negotiations
With Senate Republicans holding an effective veto over gun legislation, Cornyn now sits at the center of any hopes of action, having been encouraged to negotiate for the GOP by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who said Tuesday he hopes to see an agreement "sooner rather than later."