Six weeks after a pair of mass shootings killed more than 30 people, Congress remains “in a holding pattern” on gun control as lawmakers await proposals from White House, Senate Majority Leer Mitch McConnell said. While President Donald Trump has said he would veto a House-passed bill to expand background checks for gun purchases, McConnell said Tuesday he is hopeful re are or gun-related proposals that Congress can approve and Trump can support.

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Gun control divides politicians

“I still await guidance from White House as to what (Trump) thinks he’s comfortable signing,” Kentucky Republican told reporters. “If and when that happens, n we’ll have a real possibility of actually changing law and hopefully making some progress.” Senate Democratic Leer Chuck Schumer said McConnell and Trump were blocking meaningful action on gun violence, ding, “This is moment for president to do something different and courous.”

New York Democrat said he wonders wher Trump will “rise to occasion, or will he squander this opportunity as he always has done in past?” Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned Trump on Sunday that any proposal on gun control must include House-passed bill to expand background checks. Pelosi and Schumer spoke with Trump by phone and said y me it clear any proposal that does t include House legislation “will t get job done” because dangerous loopholes will be left open. Schumer said Tuesday he was “t encourd by what president said” but remained committed to pushing for stricter gun control measures. Senate Democrats planned to speak for hours on Senate floor to urge pass of background checks and or measures in wake of mass shootings in Texas and Ohio last month that left dozens of people de.

Trump and White House aides have discussed a number of gun control measures with members of Congress, including steps to go after fraudulent buyers, tify state and local law enforcement when a potential buyer fails a background check, issue state-level emergency risk protection orders, boost mental health assistance and speed up executions for those found guilty of committing mass shootings.

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Discussion on Gun Control still on

Trump hopes to reveal something on gun control to American public “very soon,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said Tuesday. White House expects gun proposal later this week or early next week, according to a person familiar with ministration’s thinking.

Attorney General William Barr and White House legislative affairs director Eric Ueland met with GOP senators Tuesday to talk about a path forward. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said background checks remained under discussion, but it was t clear wher progress was being me. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said background checks did t come up during a lunch meeting Tuesday between Senate Republicans and Vice President Mike Pence. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., cautioned against overinterpreting relative silence by White House. “My guess is y’re still vetting ideas, proposals, and kind of putting toger ir plan,” he said.

Sen. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat who has helped le a bipartisan push to expand background checks, said he h t spoken to Trump since late last week. Manchin said he considers a proposal he is offering with Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Pat Toomey a starting point for legislative action. “You can’t water it down because that’s bedrock,” Manchin said, ding that senators and White House haven’t agreed on anything yet. “We’re just going to see where it goes,” he said.

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