(Wisconsin Radio Network) Wisconsin Democrats are calling for action to restrict access to guns, in the wake of the nation’s latest round of mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.
During a stop in Marathon County on Wednesday, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin said she’s all for a special session focused on gun control action. “I would leave in a moment’s notice, of I believed we could get something done,” Baldwin said.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has yet to schedule Senate action on gun control measures passed by the House. Congress is currently in recess.
In a statement, Republican Senator Ron Johnson said the U.S. must “seriously re-evaluate how our society treats mental illness to keep firearms out of the hands of people who pose a danger to themselves and their communities.”
Governor Tony Evers is calling on Republican leadership at the Capitol to take up gun control legislation. Evers said mass shootings are something that can affect anyone, anywhere and that debating legislation is the best way to force a discussion.
“That’s what the kids from Parkland have been talking about for the past several years, let’s have a discussion, instead of saying ‘Oh my gosh, this is not the time to talk about it.’ Well that’s baloney.”
He said that universal background checks for all gun purchases are something that a majority of Wisconsinites approve of.