Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that he believed there was “something dying inside the soul of this country” because of inaction on gun control.
Partial transcript as follows:
BRENNAN: The White House did decline our invitation for a member of the administration to come on the show today, saying they were leaving it up to Congress to act. We’re joined now by Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat leading bipartisan negotiations over gun reforms in Congress, and he joins us from Hartford, Connecticut. Senator, welcome to the program. You’ve said in some powerful remarks this week that what you are looking to do is, to use your word, incremental change when it comes to gun safety. You are talking to Republicans about red flag laws, expanding background checks. Can you get ten Republicans to vote with you on either of those two measures?
MURPHY: I think we can. I think there is something dying inside the soul of this country when we refuse to act at a national level shooting after shooting. And I do think there’s an opportunity right now to be able to pass something significant. I’ve seen more Republican interest in coming to the table and talking this time than at any other moment since Sandy Hook. It is true, you know, Republicans are not willing to support everything that I support, like banning assault weapons. But I really think that we could pass something that saves lives and breaks this logjam that we’ve had for 30 years, proving to Republicans that if you vote to tighten the nation’s gun laws, the sky doesn’t fall for you politically, in fact, you probably will get a lot of new additional supporters. So red flag laws are on the table. Background checks, expansion and on the table, as well as things like safe storage of guns. I think we can get something done, but we don’t have a lot of time.
BRENNAN: You don’t. In those starting points in your talks with Republicans, are you also discussing some of what Governor Hutchinson just laid out as Republican priorities?
MURPHY: Listen, we’re looking for an old school compromise in which we both tighten the nation’s gun laws to make sure that only law abiding citizens get their hands on these very powerful weapons, but also invest in school security and mental health. I mean, it is true that we should have an all of the above strategy, and that’s ultimately the path to 60 votes. So, you know, I’m willing to, you know, vote for some things that harden our schools, that make me a little uncomfortable, frankly. If Republicans are willing to vote to tighten up the nation’s firearms laws in a way that they have been unwilling to do previously, that’s the nature of a compromise. And I think right now, parents in this country and kids are desperate for us to do something. They are frightened, they’re anxious. And we will just add to their anxiety if nothing happens again.
BRENNAN: What about limits on high capacity magazines?
MURPHY: I think it’s unlikely that we’re going to be able to get 60 votes for that. Right now, that’s a question that’ll probably have to be left up to the voters. It’s not out of the realm of possibility. We might take a vote on that in the Senate, but I don’t see that having 60 votes. It’s in the category of things I think would save lives. I’ve always said that I’m not sure that that shooter would have even walked into the school in Sandy Hook if he didn’t have an assault rifle and those high capacity magazines. But I’m not sure that we have the votes right now for that.
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