Top Democrats press Trump on gun control
As U.S. President Donald Trump mulls new gun controls this week, top Democrats are pressing him for universal background checks.
It's been more than 200 days since the House of Representatives passed a bill to expand checks to all gun purchases, including gun shows and online sales.
But the Senate has yet to put it on the floor for a vote.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke to Trump on the phone Sunday (September 15).
Their message: anything short of universal checks won't get the job done.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATE MINORITY LEADER, CHUCK SCHUMER, SAYING:
"This bill, the future of this bill, the future of many, many lives. Thousands, tens of thousands of lives, is in the hands of only two people: Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell. I am confident that if they put this bill on the floor, it would pass."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he doesn't want to take up the bill until he's sure Trump will sign it.
The president has been speaking with both parties, since a streak of mass shootings last month that killed more than 30 people.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined Schumer in New York City to press the issue.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND, SAYING:
"We've seen the tweets offering thoughts and prayers again and again. But what we have yet to see is a Republican stand up, stand up to President Trump, stand up to Mitch McConnell and demand an end to this gun epidemic."
New gun controls face fierce opposition from interest groups including the National Riffle Association.
Past attempts to pass gun control after mass shootings have failed including the killings of 20 school children and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012.