Posted inJustice, Politics

Sandy Hook parents tell Trump there’s no need to arm teachers

WASHINGTON — The parents of two children who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook school shooting told President Donald Trump the nation does not need to arm teachers, but should prevent mass shootings by training teachers to respond when a child displays certain signs of trouble. “Sandy Hook Promise has created something that works,” said Mark Barden, holding up a photo of his slain 6-year-old son Daniel.

Posted inJustice, Politics

Trump considering support of Murphy-Cornyn gun bill

WASHINGTON — Grappling to respond to the massacre at a high school in Parkland, Fla., President Donald Trump is considering support of a bill introduced by Sen. Chris Murphy and Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn that would tighten FBI background checks of prospective gun purchasers. But Murphy tweeted, “No one should pretend this bill alone is an adequate response to this epidemic.”

Posted inJustice, Politics

Gun background check bill wins key GOP support

WASHINGTON — An effort to strengthen the gun buyer background check system received a big boost on Tuesday as both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer became co-sponsors of the legislation. The “Fix NICs” bill in the Senate now has 11 Republican co-sponsors and 11 Democratic co-sponsors, and Sen. Chris Murphy says its filibuster-proof.

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CT lawmakers keep introducing gun control bills, but face uphill climb

WASHINGTON — Rep. Elizabeth Esty, who represents Newtown in Congress, on Thursday was the latest lawmaker to introduce a bill aimed at curbing gun deaths. Although the number of bills in Congress that would tighten regulations on firearms is growing, there’s no indication the political climate on Capitol Hill is becoming more favorable to gun control, even after the Las Vegas massacre.

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CT lawmakers lead new gun control push in wake of Las Vegas massacre

WASHINGTON — Reacting to the horror of the mass slaying in Las Vegas late Sunday, and led by Connecticut’s lawmakers, there’s a new push in Congress to reintroduce gun control bills that failed in the past. Though the fate of those bills in uncertain, “there’s a sense that enough is enough,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

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This time, Newtown bike riders rolling away from Congress

WASHINGTON — With Donald Trump in the White House and a GOP lock on Congress, the 26 bike riders who roll hundreds of miles every year from Newtown to the U.S. Capitol to honor those slain at Sandy Hook Elementary School decided to change course. Instead of riding to Congress, they were riding away from it Thursday and toward where they believe their message has more resonance.

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Murphy: Campaign donations proof of ‘fledgling progressive resistance movement’

WASHINTON – Sen. Chris Murphy said in a fundraising appeal Wednesday that said he has had a “staggering number of individual contributions” since the beginning of the year. He called it evidence a “fledgling progressive resistance movement” against the Trump administration and the GOP-led Congress “is only getting larger.”