Blumenthal, Murphy urge federal gun control action

Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Christopher Murphy last week sent a letter to Vice President Joseph Biden, calling for an expanded assault weapons ban, stricter background checks for gun purchasers and improvements to the nation’s mental health systems.

The joint statement from Connecticut’s Democratic senators comes as a task force headed by Biden is expected to make recommendations to President Obama later this week, aimed at tightening gun laws and preventing future tragedies like the December shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.

“The weeks after this horrific mass shooting have been filled with grief and pain, as we have seen firsthand, but the strength and courage of the families and the community should inspire us to prevent gun violence in the future,” Blumenthal and Murphy wrote. “While we may never be able to prevent all mass shootings, we can certainly take reasonable steps to reduce the number of incidents and the potential fatalities.”