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.
With a government shutdown five days away, Congress is moving into crisis mode as Speaker Kevin McCarthy faces an insurgency from hard-right Republicans eager to slash spending even if it means curtailing federal services for millions of Americans.
Rep. Andy Kim of New Jersey announced on Saturday that he will run against Sen. Robert Menendez in the state’s Democratic primary for Senate next year, saying he feels compelled to run against the three-term senator after he and his wife were indicted on sweeping corruption charges.