Fresno congressman calls for Senate to take up gun legislation after deadly mass shooting at football party

A California Democrat is calling for the Senate to take up gun control measures passed by the House after a mass shooting in his district Sunday night.

Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.), who represents Fresno, tweeted that his “thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families,” while adding that “as a community and a country, thoughts and prayers are not enough!”

“We have passed meaningful bipartisan gun safety legislation this year in Congress that Sen Mitch McConnell [R-Ky.] refuses to bring up in the Senate,” Costa tweeted. “This plague of gun violence in our country, as we continue to witness, knows no boundaries. We must come together to bring rational and practical solutions to support our local communities throughout our nation.”

We have passed meaningful bipartisan gun safety legislation this year in Congress that Sen Mitch McConnell refuses to bring up in the Senate.

— Rep. Jim Costa (@RepJimCosta) November 18, 2019

This plague of gun violence in our country, as we continue to witness, knows no boundaries. We must come together to bring rational and practical solutions to support our local communities throughout our nation.

— Rep. Jim Costa (@RepJimCosta) November 18, 2019

Four people were killed Sunday night in a shooting at a football party in Costa’s district, and the gunman has not been apprehended.

Democrats have hammered McConnell for months over a so-called legislative graveyard in the Senate, as Democratic-passed bills out of the House have largely piled up in the Senate as the GOP-controlled Senate, led by McConnell as majority leader, refuses to allow votes on bills that do not have President Trump’s support.

“Leader McConnell ought to allow debate and amendments immediately — which Democrats would welcome — on commonsense, House-passed bills on democracy reform, combating the gun violence epidemic, health care, and so much more,” Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement in April.

The Democratic-controlled House has passed at least three gun control-related bills expanding background checks and other measures to control the sale of firearms since taking power in January.