White House Focuses On Arming Teachers With Plan That Falls Far Short Of President’s Rhetoric
The proposals did not include President Donald Trump's repeated call to raise the age for buying certain firearms from 18 to 21, an idea that has been opposed by the NRA. The blueprint, however, does contain Trump's support for two gun-related bills being considered by Congress.
The New York Times:
Trump To Push Ahead On Gun Training For School Employees, White House Says
President Trump is planning to move ahead with his contentious proposal to provide firearms training to school employees and intends to establish a federal commission to examine other proposals, like his suggestion to raise the age to purchase some weapons, White House officials said on Sunday night. But the administration’s efforts appeared to be piecemeal and of limited scope, falling far short of the language Mr. Trump has used for weeks about the need to end the scourge of school shootings, including at a dramatic meeting with relatives of victims of the Parkland, Fla., massacre. (Haberman, 3/11)
The Wall Street Journal:
White House Unveils Proposals To Reduce Gun Violence At Schools
The White House blueprint, which comes in the wake of last month’s mass shooting at a Parkland, Fla., high school, calls for “hardening our schools” by instituting security procedures comparable to those in airports, sports stadiums and government buildings. One way to do that, the White House said, is to use Justice Department grants to train school personnel to carry weapons “on a voluntary basis.” (Bender, 3/11)
The Associated Press:
Trump Doesn’t Set Age For Guns, Defers On Arming Teachers
The White House unveiled a new plan to prevent school shootings that backs off President Donald Trump's support for increasing the minimum age for purchasing assault weapons to 21. Instead, a new federal commission on school safety will examine the age issue as part of a package the White House announced Sunday in response to the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, last month that left 17 dead. (Colvin, 3/12)
Politico:
Trump Administration To Aid States In Firearms Training For Teachers, School Staff
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will chair a government commission exploring steps to prevent school violence, following the Parkland, Fla., shooting last month that left 17 dead, the Trump administration said. “We are committed to working quickly because there’s no time to waste,” DeVos said on a conference call with reporters. “No student, no family, no teacher and no school should have to live the horror of Parkland or Sandy Hook or Columbine again.” (Hefling and Stratford, 3/11)
The Associated Press:
Gun Background Check System Riddled With Flaws
Recent mass shootings have spurred Congress to try to improve the nation's gun background check system that has failed on numerous occasions to keep weapons out of the hands of dangerous people. The problem with the legislation, experts say, is that it only works if federal agencies, the military, states, courts and local law enforcement do a better job of sharing information with the background check system — and they have a poor track record in doing so. Some of the nation's most horrific mass shootings have revealed major holes in the database reporting system, including massacres at Virginia Tech in 2007 and at a Texas church last year. (Bellisle, 3/10)
The Associated Press:
A Look At How Background Checks Are Conducted For Gun Buys
When someone buys a weapon from a gun dealer in the U.S., they are subjected to a background check to see if they have a criminal record, mental illness or other issues that prevent them from owning weapons. It's a process that has received attention following recent mass killings and as Congress pushes to improve the background check system. Here is an explanation about the process. (Bellisle, 3/10)
