Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema among 4 senators in meeting on gun talks following Texas shooting
Jun 1, 2022, 4:00 PM
(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
PHOENIX — Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona was one of four U.S. senators who met virtually Tuesday regarding potential legislative action following the recent school shooting in Texas, a spokesperson for the Democrat confirmed.
Sinema was joined by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) a week after a gunman killed 19 elementary school students and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas.
The talks were centered around mental health, according to Axios. Gun reform and school safety were likely to be lesser parts of any bill, Axios added.
Calls for stricter gun legislation have been rampant since the shooting, which became the deadliest at a Texas school in history.
Murphy has been a leading voice in wanting change.
He took to the Senate floor on the day of the shooting and demanded Congress pass substantial gun violence legislation.
Murphy represented Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 when 20 children and six educators were killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
“What are we doing?” Murphy asked.
“I’m here on this floor to beg — to literally get down on my hands and knees — to beg my colleagues. Find a path forward here. Work with us to find a way to pass laws that make this less likely,” he said.
Sinema offered her condolences to the victims following the shooting.
“We are horrified and heartbroken by the senseless tragedy unfolding at Robb Elementary School in Texas and grateful to the first responders for acting swiftly,” Sinema said.
“No families should ever have to fear violence in their children’s schools.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
