Democrats lay out gun proposals

WASHINGTON—Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., outlined his party’s stance Thursday as Congress debates gun reforms. Schumer said Democrats aren’t in complete agreement, but the vast majority of the party’s lawmakers wants three things: expanded background checks to close loopholes on firearm sales online and at gun shows, a way to temporarily disarm individuals who pose threats to themselves or others, and debate on a ban on what many call assault-type weapons such as the AR-15 rifle, the weapon used in the Parkland, Fla., school shooting that killed 17 people on Feb. 14. “Rather than just plugging one leak, we need a holistic approach,” Schumer said. “Our caucus is ready to provide a very large number of votes on these proposals.” Schumer said he liked President Donald Trump’s comments on Wednesday during a White House meeting on gun violence. During that meeting, the president said he didn’t want a narrow bill but a comprehensive piece of legislation to deal with several areas of gun control. “He said a lot of things right yesterday,” Schumer said. Trump said Wednesday he wants to combine a bill from Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., to expand background checks with a bill from Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., to enforce data-sharing about individuals who shouldn’t be allowed to buy weapons. Lawmakers are considering a number of pieces of legislation in the aftermath of the Parkland school shooting, including raising the age on rifle sales from 18 to 21 and banning bump stock devices.