Marco Rubio Announces Action Plan On Gun Control & School Safety
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WASHINGTON (CBSMiami/CNN) - Saying what happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland can never happen again, Senator Marco Rubio has announced his action plan school safety and gun control on Thursday.
Read his entire statement here.
Watch his entire statement here
Rubio is introducing the Stop School Violence Act, which if passed, would provide federal grants to strengthen school security, provide school training to identify threats, and create school threat assessment and crisis intervention teams.
He is presenting a new law that will lead to the creation of Gun Violence Restraining Orders that will give law enforcement and close family members the option of obtaining a court order to prevent gun sales or remove guns from individuals who pose a threat and provide due process protections.
He is proposing changes to the federal youth PROMISE program so a school district plan under the PROMISE program does not delay or discourage law enforcement from being alerted to dangerous, violent or hazardous behavior.
He wants to strengthen background checks and is pushing for the immediate passage of the Fix NICS Act which will require all federal agencies to fully report all relevant information to the national background check database.
He is joining a group of Senators in filing the "Lie and Try" bill, which will require the FBI to notify states when a prohibited person tries to buy a gun, and fails the required background check so they can be investigated and prosecuted. The Senators will present a new law to provide more prosecutors to go after "Straw Purchases" where an individual who can pass a background check buys a gun for someone who could not pass a background check.
Rubio has been critical of the lack of civility in American politics amid a polarizing debate on gun control in his state following this month's school shooting.
The debate after #Parkland reminds us We The People don't really like each other very much.We smear those who refuse to agree with us.We claim a Judea-Christian heritage but celebrate arrogance & boasting. & worst of all we have infected the next generation with the same disease
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 28, 2018
Rubio has recently faced criticism from the survivors of the shooting over his gun control positions and the donations he has accepted from the National Rifle Association. But since CNN's town hall last week on gun violence, in which he was the lone Republican lawmaker in attendance, he's also faced pressure from conservatives after he signaled a willingness to vote in favor of limited gun control measures.
According to a Quinnipiac poll released Tuesday, only 38% of Florida voters approve of the way Rubio is handling his job as senator.
Rubio said the argument he's making is not limited to the gun debate. He also blamed the media for contributing to the "nasty" political dialogue among Americans.
(©2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. CNN contributed to this report.)