[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 145 (Wednesday, September 11, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S5416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           BACKGROUND CHECKS

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now, on gun safety, in response to the 
scenes of senseless violence in America throughout the month of August, 
Leader McConnell promised that the issue of gun safety would be ``front 
and center'' when Congress returned. The Democrats are eager to debate 
this issue, and we believe we have a great place to start--with the 
bipartisan, House-passed bill on universal background checks.
  Leader McConnell has also suggested that President Trump will 
determine if and what the Senate will vote on, so we need to know what 
the President might support. Throughout the month of August, frankly, 
the President was all over the map, saying he wanted strong background 
check legislation one day and then saying, the next day, we don't need 
it at all. It makes no sense. The President doesn't seem to know what 
he wants.
  My Republican colleagues met with the President yesterday and 
ostensibly discussed the issue of gun safety. I asked them: Where is 
the President on this issue? Will he support universal background 
checks?
  We are eager to move forward with this debate. We want to vote on the 
H.R. 8 bill--a simple bill of universal background checks. It does not 
impede on the rights of any legitimate gun owner. It only gets in the 
way of felons and spousal abusers and those adjudicated mentally ill 
from getting guns, and no one thinks they should get them.
  The President needs to make his position clear and soon. If he 
continues to refuse to state his position or if he keeps flipping 
around, the Senate should proceed to debate this on its own. In any 
case, you can be sure the Democrats will not let the issue of gun 
safety fall by the wayside.
  I yield the floor.

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