WASHINGTON, D.C. (NEXSTAR) — In the aftermath of the mass murders in El Paso and Dayton – finding ways to stop gun violence in America is top of mind for many lawmakers.
Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy said while conversations with the White House have been constructive, the outcome is far from certain.
“I don’t know that we’re going to get a final product in the end, it’s very hard to negotiate with this White House,” Murphy said.
But Murphy also said political pressure is building.
“Republicans are probably going to lose the Senate and the White House if they don’t break from the gun lobby,” Murphy said.
While support for expanding background checks is uncertain, the Heritage Foundation said both Democrats and Republicans agree on Red Flag laws to keep guns out of the hands of people who are considered a threat to themselves or others.
“There’s room for agreement for laws that are specifically and narrowly targeting dangerous individuals and identifying them and disarming them without broadly infringing on the rights of everyone else,” Amy Swearer of the Heritage Foundation said.
But Murphy said Red Flag laws won’t solve the problem.
“If that’s all that we did at the federal level – that’s just not enough,” Murphy said.
Murphy and Jonathan Lowy with the Brady Campaign said the American people are advocating for universal background checks.
“There is more support for universal background checks for example than probably any other piece of legislation on any issue in America today,” Lowy said.
Despite the public support, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will ultimately decide if the proposal is brought before the Senate for a vote.