GOP Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger joined fellow Republicans Monday in proposing gun control laws in the wake of the two mass shootings over the weekend.
Kinzinger proposed raising the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21, requiring universal background checks, banning some high-capacity magazines and enacting state “red flag” laws to confiscate weapons from those deemed dangerous, according to an article he posted on Medium.
“We have a gun violence epidemic, and to address it, we need to change some laws and change some hearts,” Kinzinger wrote before his recommendations.
“These changes will certainly help, but they won’t solve the core issue we face. Violence is in the heart of these tragic shootings, and we cannot create laws to detect or deter evil,” he added, as he questioned the role played by television, video games and social media.
“People are turning to social media for a fix, only to be left empty,” he said.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) (L) holds a news conference on the payroll tax vote with fellow House Republican freshmen at the U.S. Capitol December 19, 2011 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Kinzinger also suggested media outlets not name mass shooters or glorify them in any way, including “publishing their insane manifestos.”
The Illinois congressman joins President Donald Trump and South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who also called for some gun control measures in the wake of mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, that killed 31 people.
Trump held a press conference Monday morning and announced plans to work with lawmakers on several gun control measures including “red flag” gun confiscation laws. (RELATED: ‘He Doesn’t Know How Volatile This Issue Is’: Pro-Gun Group Responds to Trump Gun Control)
Trump also suggested the need to incorporate mental health status into qualifications for gun possession to prevent unstable individuals from having access to firearms.
Shortly afterward, Graham announced plans to introduce a bipartisan “red flag” gun confiscation bill he said already had Trump’s support. Graham said he would be introducing the legislation with Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
Kinzinger also highlighted his pro-gun views.
“To be clear, I firmly believe in the right to keep and bear arms, legally. I’m also a strong advocate for conceal carry. I learned firsthand in 2006 during an encounter in Milwaukee that being able to protect yourself is critical,” Kinzinger wrote.
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