Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley joined a group of Congressional Democrats in Washington Monday to lobby for tighter gun regulations. The group that included Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer is calling for passage of a bill to expand background checks for gun purchases.
The bipartisan proposal known as H.R.8 would expand background checks to cover private firearm sales.
Mayor Whaley urged the Senate to bring the House bill to a vote.
"They want us to do something," she said, recalling an August candlelight vigil held to honor the nine victims of the Oregon District mass shooting that drew hundreds of people to downtown Dayton, and where protesters chanted at Gov. Mike DeWine to “do something!”
“So that's why we're here. I'm here on behalf of the citizens of Dayton, who called us that night to do something. This is something that can be done, can be fast and will save lives.”
Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he won’t act on a gun bill without a commitment the president would sign it, as NPR News reports.
