WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress returns to work under pressure to respond to the outcry over gun violence and facing a list of proposals, some of them from President Donald Trump.
The Republican leaders in charge of the House and the Senate have been quiet as Trump has proposed raising the minimum age to purchase assault-style weapons and arming teachers. The president also has suggested that whether teachers should be armed is an issue for states to decide.
For federal lawmakers, the most likely option is bolstering the federal background check system for gun purchases. However, that proposal is bogged down after being linked with a less popular measure to expand gun rights.
Any bill that would curb access to guns faces firm GOP opposition and risks antagonizing gun advocates in their party.