Alabama lawmakers weigh in on gun control legislation

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Reaction is pouring in after the recent shooting in Boulder, Colorado. Several people in Congress say it’s time for gun control legislation, but there is pushback from leaders in Alabama.

President Joe Biden renewed calls for gun control after the mass shooting, but some Alabama congressional leaders don’t believe that’s the right solution.

Biden made a plea to Congress to pass gun control legislation, saying, “We can ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.”

He also wants to close loopholes in the background check system.

“This is not and should not be a partisan issue,” Biden said.

But Alabama Republican congressional leaders like Rep. Barry Moore don’t buy into the proposals.

“We all know at the end of the day that law-abiding citizens are not the problem when it comes to these top incidents,” said Moore.

Alabama Democratic Rep. Terri Sewell thinks otherwise. She was not available for an interview Wednesday but has said “requiring universal background checks on the sale of every gun is an essential part of ensuring that guns do not fall into the wrong hands.”

Other leaders say mental health treatment should be the focus instead.

“There’s no reason to jump in and say we need to have more of a background check. We already have background checks. We need to make sure we stick with what we have, but we get involved in helping people. Again, it’s a people problem. It is not a gun problem,” said Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville.

Rep. Mo Brooks believes the Democrats’ proposal would slowly chip away the Second Amendment.

“But what I would suggest needs to be looked at more than anything else is get to the underlying reasons, whether it’s in our schools, whether it’s in our society, what is it that causes people to be so despondent, so depressed, so feeling that there’s no hope that they choose to go on these shooting sprees.”

Congressman Robert Aderholt also said in a statement that “President Biden’s gun control efforts would not keep guns away from criminals, who would simply acquire them on the black market. Instead, it would put limits on law abiding citizens who have never, and will never, use guns for criminal activity.”

Copyright 2021 WSFA 12 News. All rights reserved.