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“Today was a good day, but what the president had announced is a necessary but insufficient step to combatting gun violence,” Murphy (D-Conn.) told the Daily Voice on Tuesday. “I think what the president announced today will save lives, but meaningful reform can only happen if Congress starts to take this issue seriously.”
Murphy previously scolded his congressional colleagues on Twitter for their inaction. Hours after 14 people were killed in a shooting spree in San Bernardino, Calif., Murphy said his colleagues offered "thoughts and prayers" but failed to take steps for gun control.
“Your 'thoughts’ should be about steps to take to stop this carnage. Your 'prayers' should be for forgiveness if you do nothing — again,” Murphy said in a Tweet that resonated with people from across the country — and the world. The tweet was echoed in 21,000 retweets and liked by 19,000 users.
Murphy also took to Twitter on Tuesday, following Obama’s announcement. “Today, the President acted where Congress has failed — taking commonsense steps to #stopgunviolence,” he tweeted.
But he believes there is “still more room for change driven by the executive branch.”
“The federal government is the biggest purchaser of guns in the world,” he said. “The federal government could be using its bulk purchasing power to drive changes in gun technology.”
In a perfect world, Murphy would like to see gun manufacturers take the next logical steps in safety technology. "Smartphones turn on with a fingerprint. Why can't guns do that?” he said before Obama’s announcement.
In his announcement, Obama called for a requirement that anyone who sells guns – whether it be in stores, online or at gun shows – to obtain a license and conduct background checks. He also called for the hiring of 200 additional ATF agents, as well as $500 million to help people get better access to mental health care.
Obama said he also wants to hire more staff to make the background check system more efficient and ensure that background checks are processed within the legally required three-day period.
For full Daily Voice coverage of Obama’s announcement, click here.
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