House Homeland Security Chair: ‘Easy Access to Guns Is a Problem’ – House Gun Control Legislation Would Help

On Friday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “All In,” House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) stated that “the continued, easy access to guns is a problem in this country.” He also stated that the gun control legislation already passed by the House would help and there should be better mental health funding.

Thompson said, “Chris, first of all, as you know, all of us have a deep sympathy for the families and those individuals impacted. But…the access to guns, the continued, easy access to guns is a problem in this country. The fact that people with certain illnesses — mental illnesses can still get guns. Background checks are not enforced in certain areas. And obviously, individuals who have mental illnesses can get guns. But on the other hand, we don’t, as a country, provide the services for those individuals who have mental illness. And that is a challenge for us, and I think something Congress is going to have to step forward to and address.”

He added, “Mitch McConnell should do a lot on the Senate side. We do our work on the House. But the Charleston loophole bill, which would close the loophole that occurred, the other would also help. But again, we need to fully fund mental health in this country. Mitch McConnell has basically said he’s not going to do anything.”

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