McConaughey meets with lawmakers after op-ed on gun reform

Matthew McConaughey met Monday evening with lawmakers amid their ongoing discussions on gun control following the recent string of mass shootings in the U.S. 

In a tweet on Monday, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) shared that the “Dazed and Confused” actor visited his office to discuss the recent mass shooting in his hometown of Uvalde, Texas.

“Had the chance to meet Uvalde native @McConaughey in DC today to discuss the horrific mass shooting at Robb Elementary as well as the larger problem of gun violence in America,” Durbin wrote in a tweet. “We, like so many others, agree that gun safety reform is needed—I’ll keep working to make that happen.”

McConaughey penned an op-ed for the Austin American-Statesman published earlier on Monday in which he said it is time to change the discussion on gun control. 

“I am a father, the son of a kindergarten teacher, and an American. I was also born in Uvalde, Texas. That’s why I’m writing this,” McConaughey wrote. 

“I believe that responsible, law-abiding Americans have a Second Amendment right, enshrined by our founders, to bear arms. I also believe we have a cultural obligation to take steps toward slowing down the senseless killing of our children,” the actor added. 

McConaughey’s op-ed comes nearly two weeks after the massacre at Robb Elementary School, where a gunman entered a fourth grade classroom and opened fire, killing 19 schoolchildren and two of their teachers. 

A bipartisan group of senators is engaged in ongoing discussions on gun reform legislation in response to the recent violence in Uvalde and elsewhere. 

Last week, President Biden publicly called on Congress to quickly address this issue, asking members to pass laws expanding background checks, implementing a national “red flag” law system and banning assault rifles.