House judiciary panel will come back early to tackle gun control bills

Aug. 16 (UPI) -- The House judiciary committee will return to Washington, D.C., early to take up three gun control bills in the wake of mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio.

The committee will meet Sept. 4 to consider a ban on high-capacity magazines, incentives for states to prevent high-risk people from obtaining guns and prohibit those convicted of misdemeanor hate crimes from buying guns.

"For too long, politicians in Washington have only offered thoughts and prayers in the wake of gun violence tragedies," the committee chair, U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said in a statement.

"Thoughts and prayers have never been enough. To keep our communities safe, we must act. These should not be partisan issues and it is my hope we can move forward on these matters with support on both sides of the aisle, including the president."

House Resolution 1186, called the Keep Americans Safe Act, would ban high-capacity ammunition magazines that are used in assault rifles.

House Resolution 1136 would prevent those "deemed a risk to themselves or others from accessing firearms."

Also, under House Resolution 3076,a federal Extreme Risk Protection Order that people could be obtained in court.

House Resolution 2708 would ban those convicted of misdemeanor hate crimes from possessing firearms.

Nadler also scheduled a hearing Sept. 25 to discuss a ban on military assault rifles.

President Donald Trump has said he would support "meaningful" background checks and efforts to keep guns out of the hands of mentally disturbed individuals.

In February, the House passed bills to strengthen background checks on gun purchases, but they went nowhere in the Republican-controlled Senate.

"It's shameful that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has refused to bring the Senate back to take up the legislation," Nadler said. "I call on my Senate colleagues to join us in this effort by swiftly passing gun safety bills the House has already passed and also by acting on the additional bills we will be considering."

McConnell had successful shoulder surgery Thursday after he fell at his home earlier this month.