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Senator Grassley Calling For Bipartisan Legislation And Oversight In Wake Of Latest School Shooting

After the tragic Parkland, Fla. school shooting that took 17 lives two weeks ago, U.S. Senator, Chuck Grassley, is calling for a bipartisan approach to concentrating efforts in keeping guns out the hands of dangerous people while still protecting Constitutional rights of Americans. He says, “Schools should be a refuge of learning, freedom and peace, not a setting for violent crime.” There are some legislative proposals, including the STOP School Violence Act, which Grassley sponsors. This will reauthorize the Secure Our Schools Act and provide grants to states that will assist schools with the implementation of evidence-based programs that can stop violence before it occurs. The measure will also offer grant money for infrastructure updates to deter potential shooters. Grassley wants to bring another bill to the forefront, the Fix NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check) Bill. The truth of the matter, Grassley says is, “Federal agencies and state governments do not always upload relevant information into the NICS database. This has had disastrous and tragic consequences, as we saw in the Sutherland Springs shooting.” Grassley also supports the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) effort to regulate the sale of bumpstocks. But it is more than just legislation needed, Grassley points out, oversight is a big factor in this equation. “The great tragedy of the Parkland shooting,” he says, “is that it was preventable. The FBI and local law enforcement failed to act on credible tips that should have neutralized the killer and gotten him help. At my direction, the FBI and social media companies like Google and Facebook are briefing committee staff on their response to warnings about the shooter’s behavior.” Another oversight hearing will be held on this subject March 14.

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