Lawmakers introduce plan to ban terror suspects from purchasing guns

Federal lawmakers say that they are working to pass legislation that would prevent suspected terrorists from buying guns. New Jersey Sens. Cory Booker and Robert Menendez are sponsors on the bill.

News 12 Staff

Jun 14, 2016, 5:43 AM

Updated 2,870 days ago

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Lawmakers introduce plan to ban terror suspects from purchasing guns
Federal lawmakers say that they are working to pass legislation that would prevent suspected terrorists from buying guns.
New Jersey Sens. Cory Booker and Robert Menendez are sponsors on the bill. The renewed call for this legislation comes in the aftermath of a mass shooting in Orlando.
Shooter Omar Mateen was known to the FBI and was on a terror watch list. He was still able to legally purchase several firearms. Mateen then used those guns to kill nearly 50 people inside a gay club.
Similar legislation was introduced previously, but failed before the United States Senate in December.
The National Rifle Association opposed the plan. The organization says that there are some people who are incorrectly on the list who would have their gun rights compromised.
Sen. Menendez says that now is the time to reintroduce the gun legislation.
"I hope that the conscience of the Congress gets pricked by the biggest mass murder in American history," he says.
The shooter was a self-professed radical who says that he allied himself with the Islamic State. Some say that radical Islam should be the focus instead of guns.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has proposed a temporary ban on Muslim immigration.
"This is a very dark moment in America's history," he says "A radical, Islamic terrorist targeted the nightclub."
Trump also said he's taking congratulations "for being right on radical Islamic terrorism." However, some are accusing him of using the tragedy to bring attention to himself.
"Anyone who tries to capitalize on such a grievous crime in order for political gain, to me that's unacceptable," Sen. Booker says.
Mateen was interviewed by the FBI in 2013 and 2014. He was later removed from the terror watch list.


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