Breaking its long silence in the aftermath of the deadly shooting at a Connecticut school that killed 20 children, the powerful pro-gun lobby has said it is prepared to offer meaningful contributions to prevent such unfortunate happenings.
“The NRA is prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again,” the National Rifle Association (NRA) said in a statement as a shocked nation wrestled with the issue of reinstating assault weapons ban in the US.
Made up of four million members, the NRA said it is shocked, saddened and heartbroken by the news of the horrific and senseless murders in Newtown.
“Out of respect for the families, and as a matter of common decency, we have given time for mourning, prayer and a full investigation of the facts before commenting,” it said.
“The NRA is prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again,” it said.
The White House said the US President Barack Obama wants to expand the net beyond considerations of gun laws because he recognises that and agrees with it that the US needs to look broadly at all of the potential contributors to the scourge of gun violence in this country.
Meanwhile, the California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced that 2,000 firearms were seized from individuals legally barred from possessing them, including persons determined to be mentally unstable and those with active restraining orders.
In a statement, Senator Ben Cardin, said Congress should examine whether it can strengthen the background check system for gun buyers, along with criminal penalties for those who illegally purchase or transfer guns.
“We need to take a look at safety locks to protect children. We also need to look at those who have multiple gun purchases and we need to look at gun-show purchases. All of these should be examined to see whether or not we can make our communities safer without infringing upon the legitimate right of individuals to possess guns. Sportsmen should be able to use guns for hunting,” he said.