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September 18, 2013

Obama Urges Congressional Response After Latest Mass Shooting 
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President Obama is calling on Congress to revisit gun control
legislation in the aftermath of Monday's shooting rampage at a naval
base in Washington, D.C., that left 13 people dead, including the
gunman. Speaking to the Spanish-language television network Telemundo,
Obama said the spate of mass shootings in the United States should force
lawmakers to take action.

President Obama: "The fact that — we do not have a firm enough
background-check system — is something that makes us more
vulnerable to these kinds of mass shootings. And, you know, I do get
concerned that this becomes a ritual that we go through every three,
four months, where we have these horrific mass shootings. And yet we're
not willing to take some basic actions."

The last major gun control effort failed in April when a handful of
Senate Democrats joined with Republicans to defeat a watered-down
measure on expanding background checks. According to The Atlantic
magazine, if the rate of mass shootings continues as it has since
President Obama took office, there could be 14 before the end of his
second term.

 

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