Manchin supports some gun control measures

Jun. 11—WELCH — Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said Friday he supports some gun control measures now being discussed in the Senate, including raising the age to 21 to buy assault weapons, some form of red flag laws and closing the "gun show loophole."

Manchin also said during a stop in Welch Friday that he is optimistic the Senate will agree on bipartisan legislation that can help curb mass shootings, especially in schools.

"I support it (raising the age to 21) because basically we have 21 to buy a handgun," he said of the minimum age to purchase those firearms, "so it makes sense."

Federal law prohibits the sale of handguns to anyone under 21.

The recent killings in a Texas elementary school were committed by a man who bought two assault weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition just days after turning 18.

Manchin said "red flag" laws are a means to determine and identify preexisting conditions people may have, where they have mental challenges or mental illness or just some unstableness in their lives and family.

"If someone detects that in a child of their own or any person who can do harm to themselves or others, those people need help," he said. "We should be able to get them that help."

Manchin said the red flag laws have been able to help identify these people and "save a lot of lives."

It's way to help people before they get to a point of possibly harming others, he said.

Background checks are also part of the discussion, especially related to guns exchanged between family and friends as opposed to what happens at guns shows, where anyone can sell or trade firearms with no background checks.

Federal law does not require unlicensed private sellers to perform background checks on gun purchasers.

"I am a law-abiding gun owner," Manchin said. "I should be able to make the decision to my family members that I can go ahead and give them a gun or share my guns among my family. That was accepted to protect me and my Second Amendment rights."

He said he was also taught not to sell his guns to a stranger or someone he doesn't know well.

"So if I am going to a gun show and someone is selling guns, they should have a background check," he said. "If I am trying to sell on the internet, I should know who is on the other side. Those make sense."

Manchin said he tried to get that gun show loop closed in 2013 but to no avail.

However, his colleagues on the other side of the aisles are now listening.

"Today, I see more Republicans now coming to the sense that, hey, this is more than politics, it should not be open season on our children in America and we should protect our children," he said.

To Manchin, protecting children is the bottom line.

"Innocent young lives are being taken for no reason but just the ignorance of not determining, or being able to say, let's help that person, prevent them from harming someone before they harm them or someone else which we have seen happen too many times," he said.

Having common sense means to try to keep weapons out the hands of potential killers is a big part of the equation.

Manchin said that overall the issue is about safety.

"It's really about safety," he said. "Just common sense and safety."

He said educating people about gun safety and "gun sense" is another approach that will help.

"Our main thing is to protect our children and the way to protect our children is basically for people having an understanding of the etiquette of using a gun," he said.

Manchin said when he was growing up in Farmington he had people to teach him about firearms, how to be responsible and safe.

"We never sold our guns to a stranger, we never loan our guns to a member of our family or someone who we thought was irresponsible," he said. "It was just that type of culture I was raised in."

But times have changed, he added.

"Today, I am thinking that people, young people on video games, and what they are seeing is this type of aggressiveness and destruction," he said of gun violence. "We just need to educate people better."

All of these measures now are being considered, not just brushed aside as many were in the past.

"I have seen more activity, more interest than I have ever seen before," he said of talks in the Senate.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. also said in a virtual interview Thursday that she thinks a bipartisan bill will be worked out.

"There are a lot of Republicans and Democrats having discussions on a lot of different points like mental health and schools hardening and other issues," she said. "I think there is a will to get something done... I think that is very encouraging."

Capito would not comment on any specifics of what she will support, waiting until a proposed bill is brought forward.

"The public is concerned about it," she said of what happened in Texas when the police did not go in immediately to try to protect the children and the shooter had purchased assault weapons when he turned 18.

"There some points you can look at," she said, and some effective measures can be found.

— Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com

Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com