TAKING ACTION

Black Caucus Renews Calls for Gun Control

New calls for legislation in the wake of Dallas attack.

The Congressional Black Caucus renewed calls for gun-control measures and police reform Friday morning, following fatal shootings of five police officers in Dallas and two black men in Louisiana and Minnesota this week.

Caucus members listed a number of actions the group wants to undertake: a meeting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch and FBI Director Jim Comey, a police-reform bill sponsored by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), and votes on universal background checks and “no fly, no buy” legislation.

House GOP leadership has not indicated that a vote on gun-control measures is likely, Rep. John Lewis (D-AL) told The Daily Beast. Conyers said negotiations on the police bill, the Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act, are “stuck.”

The caucus members harshly criticized GOP lawmakers, specifically House Speaker Paul Ryan, for the lack of legislation on gun-control and law-enforcement reform.

“When we look at this Congress, we can do nothing but conclude that they are co-conspirators in the devaluation of the lives of men and women of color,” said Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA).

After CBC members began their press conference, Speaker Ryan gave a statement on the House floor in which he called for cooperation toward reducing gun violence.

“Every member of this body—every Republican and every Democrat—wants to see less gun violence,” Ryan said. “Sometimes we disagree passionately on how to get there.”

—Alexa Corse

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