Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL) Calls for Action After "Another Unspeakable Tragedy"
Congressman Darren Soto represents Florida's 9th district, roughly 200 miles from the site of the tragic high school shooting in Parkland, FL that left 17 dead. The congressman is calling for action in Washington after "another unspeakable tragedy."
Rep. Soto has co-sponsored many bills to close the private purchase loophole and stop the sale of bump stocks, but the process has stalled because a vast majority of Republicans don't support such legislation. Many GOP lawmakers are backed by the National Rifle Association, which is why they won't support bills that regulate gun ownership.
Congressman Soto says the Sandy Hook school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut was a turning point for him. As a lawyer, he was a strong advocate for constitutional rights, but the horror of that mass shooting caused him to reevaluate and fight for gun reform.
President Joe Biden has met with new House Speaker Mike Johnson at the White House. Johnson was joined by Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries as they discussed Biden's request for nearly $106 billion for Israel, Ukraine and other national security needs.
The new leader of one of the chambers of Congress that will certify the winner of next year's presidential election helped spearhead the attempt to overturn the last one, raising alarms that Republicans could try to subvert the will of the voters if they remain in power despite safeguards enacted after the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
