Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), a pro-gun lawmaker, refrained from directly calling for more gun control on Monday, but he did urge Congress to move “forward” and address the shooting in Newtown, Conn.
“As a lifelong defender of the Second Amendment, I believe that gun safety is essential, but, so is addressing the gaps in our mental health system and the issue of drugs and violence in our culture and prayer in our schools,” Rahall said in a statement. “The causes of violence in America are bigger and broader than just firearms. I want to hear from all sides before the Congress moves forward, so we can move forward together. Let us act deliberately, but, for the sake of too many already lost, let us act.”