Pelosi, Schumer ask Trump to urge McConnell to take up background check bill

The top two Congressional Democrats reached out to President Trump on Wednesday asking him to urge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-K.Y.) to bring House-passed gun legislation, a bill that would require background checks, to a vote in the Senate. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) cited Trump’s own support of background checks in the wake of two mass shootings earlier this year in a joint letter pushing the president to reach out to the top Senate Republican. 

“Unfortunately, there are indications you have reversed your support for passing gun violence prevention legislation,” the Democrats wrote. {mosads}

“Leader McConnell has, once again, followed your example, and refused to bring commonsense, bipartisan, life-saving legislation passed by the House to the Floor,” they added. 

Trump indicated support for background checks in the wake of mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. He later walked back his comments over support for such a gun control measure after multiple conversations with pro-gun groups. 

McConnell has said he would bring the bill to a vote if the president supported it. 

“We believe that you have a historic opportunity to save lives, simply by reaffirming your clear support for strengthening background checks, with you have publicly supported before, which are supported by more than 90 percent of the public and which are ready to be brought to the Senate Floor,” Schumer and Pelosi wrote. 

The Democrats estimate that 25,000 Americans have been killed by gun violence in the 250 days since the Democratic-controlled House passed it in February. 

“We believe that you are uniquely positioned to save countless lives in America,” Democrats wrote to Trump. 

A White House spokesperson was not immediately available for comment in response to the letter.