A late break through in the talks was around a new federal criminal statute for gun trafficking and straw purchasing. Right now, the flow of illegal guns moves from states with loose gun laws to states with tougher gun laws. This bill would include a federal prohibition on gun trafficking. Further, there is no statute federally against straw purchase. That straw purchase is right now virtually enforcible as a federal crime. We weren't able to get republicans to agree to raise the age on the purchase of assault weapons,. but we have put into place an hanced background check for 18 to 20 year old purchasers that will actually prohibit them from getting a gun immediately.
The Senate has reached a bipartisan deal that could lead to the most significant federal response to gun violence in decades.
Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, was deeply involved in the negotiations. Today, he tells us how news of the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, left him with a feeling of desperation — and renewed determination to make progress.
Guest: Senator Chris Murphy, who has spent the decade since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., trying to enact change on gun safety.
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