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US President Donald Trump has surprised many by throwing his weight behind gun control. He promised to take action Wednesday on gun background checks and new school safety measures in a meeting with lawmakers at the White House.
He voiced support for a bill to enhance background check requirements, forwarded by Democrat Senator Joe Manchin III and Republocan Senator Pat Toomey.
Fox News Insider reports that Trump agreed with Senator Chris Murphy also at the meeting that there is widespread support for a plan like Manchin and Toomey’s.
He said the background check issue is one of the few that “works, people want it and we can [pass] it,” but lamented that such a bill has never become law.
“But you have a different president now,” Trump responded. “You went through a lot of presidents [since background checks became a legislative issue].”
According to Murphy, 97 percent of Americans support stronger background checks, but warned that the “gun lobby” and National Rifle Association have “veto power” over Congress.
Toomey told Trump his plan will strengthen the reporting of information into the FBI system by requiring evaluations of all buyers in commercial sales.
Manchin said that, to date, certain loopholes exist for gun show sales and those within the same state jurisdiction.
Toomey added that he wants to allow active duty military members to purchase firearms in their home states, a choice sometimes hampered by government.