Gun Violence Top Topic at East Bay Congressman's Town Hall

DANVILLE (KPIX) -- Recent mass shootings have put gun control on the minds of the many East Bay residents who turned out for a packed town hall with congressman Mark DeSaulnier Thursday night.

"Kids can't come to school thinking about someone coming in and having a shooting. That's not right," said Rep. DeSaulnier on stage at Charlotte Wood Middle School.

The shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas, have put mounting pressure on President Trump and Congress to combat gun violence.

"The house has passed two bills, they're very simple, to provide universal background checks so the loopholes would go away and would make sure that people would actually get a completed background check. Those have 85 to 90 percent support among the public, Republicans and Democrats," said DeSaulnier. "But Mitch McConnell needs to give it a hearing and give it a vote in the senate."

Senate majority leader McConnell, a strong supporter of gun rights, said the senate will discuss measures aimed at addressing gun violence next month.

And President Trump showed a willingness to support a background checks bill.

"We've seen, especially, Trump do that before. After Parkland he said that and then ... he was talked down by the NRA and it didn't happen so we'll see," said Laurie Wolfe of Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense.

When asked if he would introduce legislation to ban and buy back assault weapons nationally, DeSaulnier said he has already done it. He also said he would help increase efforts to make sure authorities have enough resources to investigate domestic terrorism.

DeSaulnier also touched on a variety of topics during the Q and A portion, including greenhouse gas emissions, immigration and the electoral college.