Dem Rep. Demands Action on Gun Control: Cities Are ‘Banning Plastic Straws’ But We Can’t Ban Assault Weapons?

Democratic Rep. Cedric Richmond (La.) called out Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and demanded Congress take action on gun control in the wake of the El Paso and Dayton mass shootings: “We have cities that are banning plastic straws, and we can’t ban assault weapons?”

Speaking on CNN with Wolf Blitzer, the Louisiana Congressman said that McConnell can no longer be allowed to block the “will of the American people” when it comes to passing legislation like universal background checks and red flag laws, which enjoy overwhelming support with the public.

“I believe the will of the American people can overpower obstruction in the Senate by the Senate Majority Leader,” Richmond said. “We’ve seen that time and time again and my grandmother always told me: ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’ We need the American people to join with us, especially all of these senators, including Mitch McConnell, who’s up for re-election and let him know that this is our will and if you stand in the way of it, we will get it done with you or without you.”

Richmond went on to call for even more aggressive measures to limit high-powered and high-capacity weapons in the country.

“The overwhelming public wants to see that happen,” he said about reinstitution of an assault weapons ban. In a recent Fox News poll, fully two-thirds of Americans said they now back a new assault weapons ban, and even Republicans were split on their support for stopping the sale of high-powered, military-style rifles. “Think about it, we live in a country where we have cities that are banning plastic straws, but we can’t ban assault weapons? I mean, that just doesn’t make sense to me. Look, I think banning plastic straws will save the environment. I also think that banning assault weapons will save the lives of many people, children, mothers, sons, fathers and the list goes on.”

Watch the video above, via CNN.