Sen. Coons: “Without help from China and Russia, we don't stand a chance of a peaceful resolution of this confrontation with North Korea”

Sen. Coons on the Texas shooting: “It's important for us to try to honor the tragedy here, the loss here, by finding a way to come together as a country and address the very real mental health, public safety, and gun safety issues that our Congress and federal government has failed to address so far”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary and Foreign Relations Committees, yesterday joined CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront to discuss the Texas shooting and President Trump’s trip to Asia.

“The last time President Trump met with Putin, it was on the sides of a major conference. He did so without anyone else from the US government, without the use of a translator. I don’t think he should follow that pattern,” said Senator Coons. “I think he should have his aides with him. But, I do think he should sit down with Vladimir Putin to make clear to him directly that if he interferes in our next election the way he interfered in our last election, he will face serious consequences. And, I do think it's important for President Trump to call on Vladimir Putin to work with Xi Jinping from China and the United States and our allies to bring North Korea to account for its reckless aggressive actions with its missile program and its nuclear weapons program. Without help from China and Russia, we don't stand a chance of a peaceful resolution of this confrontation with North Korea. So, I'm one Democrat who will say I think he should try to engage with Vladimir Putin, but do it in a responsible and measured way."

“I think it's important that as we all try to come to grips with this one of the most brutal shootings in a house of worship in America’s history, that we also look straight-on at the fact that Congress should not be paralyzed and unable to act in the face of yet another event,” said Senator Coons. “It seems clear that there was a breakdown in the background check system that the Air Force didn't forward to federal officials the fact that this shooter was convicted of a domestic violence incident, one that led to him being imprisoned for a year. Our president has said that this is a mental health issue; yet, in February of this year, he repealed a step taken by the previous administration to prevent 70,000 Americans with a history of mental health problems from being able to access weapons.”

Full video and audio available here.

Senator Coons on the Texas shooting: I think it's too early to come to any conclusions about what this particular shooter's motive was. But I think, as has been the case tragically so often, we see a pattern in elected officials saying we need to send our thoughts and prayers to the families, to the victims, but then not proposing any action. I think it's important that as we all try to come to grips with this one of the most brutal shootings in a house of worship in America’s history, that we also look straight-on at the fact that Congress should not be paralyzed and unable to act in the face of yet another event. It seems clear that there was a breakdown in the background check system that the Air Force didn't forward to federal officials the fact that this shooter was convicted of a domestic violence incident, one that led to him being imprisoned for a year. Our president has said that this is a mental health issue; yet, in February of this year, he repealed a step taken by the previous administration to prevent 70,000 Americans with a history of mental health problems from being able to access weapons. After the Las Vegas shooting, Senator Feinstein introduced a bill, which I’ve co sponsored, dozens of senators have co-sponsored, but it hasn't moved to ban so-called bump stocks or trigger cranks, the tools that the shooter in Las Vegas used. I think it's important for us to try to honor the tragedy here, the loss here, by finding a way to come together as a country and address the very real mental health, public safety and gun safety issues that our Congress and federal government has failed to address so far. 

More on the shooting: I think we need to do a better job of funding mental health and of funding our national background checks system. There are a number of holes or flaws or weaknesses in our background check system. After the tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, a bipartisan bill attempted to address some of the flaws in the current background checks system. There have been other proposals put forward. This particular incident may point to another weakness where the UCMJ or the military criminal justice system here, there was a breakdown in conveying the information from the Air Force to civilian authorities. I also get the impression that in Texas you don't have to have a permit to purchase and carry a long gun, this particular rifle that this shooter was using. He was denied a concealed carry permit for a handgun. I do think we need to do more to enforce the laws that we have on the books. But, I also think there are loopholes and weaknesses in how the current laws work that may require further legislation from Congress. 

Senator Coons on whether President Trump should meet with Putin: The last time President Trump met with Putin, it was on the sides of a major conference. He did so without anyone else from the US government, without the use of a translator. I don’t think he should follow that pattern. I think he should have his aides with him. But, I do think he should sit down with Vladimir Putin to make clear to him directly that if he interferes in our next election the way he interfered in our last election, he will face serious consequences. And, I do think it's important for President Trump to call on Vladimir Putin to work with Xi Jinping from China and the United States and our allies to bring North Korea to account for its reckless aggressive actions with its missile program and its nuclear weapons program. Without help from China and Russia, we don't stand a chance of a peaceful resolution of this confrontation with North Korea. So, I'm one Democrat who will say I think he should try to engage with Vladimir Putin, but do it in a responsible and measured way.  

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