While others are waiting for the facts about the tragedy in Las Vegas, NV, to become known, Congressman Mark Pocan, D-Madison, wasted no time before calling for gun control. In a statement Monday, Pocan claimed that Congress had the power to have prevented the mass murder at a country music concert outside the Mandalay Bay Hotel.
“As long as Congress fails to act, it is complicit in the deaths of innocent Americans. We must take commonsense actions like reinstating the assault weapons ban, ending the sale of high-capacity magazines, and closing loopholes in the background check system,” Pocan said. “For too long, Congress has rolled over when confronted by the NRA and the gun lobby and it’s time to finally take a stand. Congress must act now,” Pocan said.
Pocan’s statement did not include how any of the gun control measures he meantioned would have prevented the violent attack in Las Vegas.
The alleged gunman is believed by law enforcement to have used automatic weapons when firing on the crowd from the 32nd floor of the hotel. He did not, according to relatives, have any history of mental illness and he was not known to law enforcement except for one minor citation, according to various media reports. Own automatic weapons is already illegal under federal law, and background checks likely would not have prevented the shooter from purchasing any weapons without any previous criminal or mental health issue history.
