Republican senators are getting an earful as the chamber debates a bipartisan gun and school safety bill in response to the Uvalde shooting, Axios reports.
A group of bipartisan senators reached a deal on a framework of a bill earlier this month that would provide funding for red flag programs and mental health efforts as well as school safety. The bill would also close the so-called boyfriend loophole and crack down on unlicensed gun trafficking.
But Republicans have been less committal to some of the language floated for the bill, including how to define boyfriend and whether states without red flag laws would be entitled to additional funding as well.
The deal does not include a ban on assault weapons, raising the age to buy an assault rifle, or universal background checks.
Fox News corners Lee:
Fox News host Shannon Bream on Sunday pressed Utah Sen. Mike Lee over a Fox poll that found 88% of Americans support universal background checks, 82% support raising the legal age to buy assault weapons, and 81% support red flag laws.
Bream noted that there is “a lot of momentum at least among the public” calling for gun control.
“Are you out of step with your constituents?” the Fox host asked.
Lee claimed that constituents are “not asked questions about specific language within legislative text.”
“It's the job of the lawmaker to look out for the interests and the rights of the law-abiding citizens they represent,” he argued.
Cornyn booed:
Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the lead Republican negotiator on the bill, was booed when he got on stage at the Texas GOP convention this weekend over his support for the bill.
"No gun control!" members of the crowd shouted.
"I’m as passionate as you are about something called the United States Constitution," Cornyn assured the audience.
After departing the stage, Cornyn reportedly told several people "I've never given in to mobs and I'm not starting today."
