WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the idea in Congress of banning “bump stocks” like the device used by the Las Vegas shooter (all times local):
12:25 p.m.
The top Republican in the House says he’s open to considering a possible ban on “bump stocks,” the device the shooter in Las Vegas apparently used to make semi-automatic rifles perform more like fully automatic weapons.
Speaker Paul Ryan said in an interview with MSNBC that aired Thursday it’s “clearly something we need to look into.”
The comments from lawmakers including No. 2 Senate Republican John Cornyn of Texas mark a surprising departure from the GOP’s general antipathy to gun regulations of any kind.
The devices are known as “bump stocks,” among other names. They’re legal and originally were intended to help people with limited hand mobility fire a semi-automatic without the individual trigger pulls required.
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4 a.m.
Senior congressional Republicans say they are open to considering legislation banning “bump stocks” like the shooter in Las Vegas apparently used to make semi-automatic rifles perform more like fully automatic weapons.
The Wednesday comments from lawmakers including the No. 2 Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, marked a surprising departure from GOP lawmakers’ general antipathy to gun regulations of any kind. But they were far from a guarantee of a path forward for the new legislation by California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, especially with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan making clear their priorities are elsewhere.
Cornyn said as a hunter and sportsman he doesn’t understand the use of the bump stock and wants to have a hearing on it.
