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Titus Seeks New Ways To Combat Bump Stocks Used By Strip Shooter

Rep. Dina Titus at the Nevada Public Radio studios.
Donovan Resh

Rep. Dina Titus at the Nevada Public Radio studios.

Rep. Dina Titus is seeking tighter regulation of the bump stocks used by the Route 91 Harvest Festival gunman to give his weapon the firing speed of a machine gun.

Titus along with three other members of Congress introduced a bill Tuesday that would close the bump stock loophole. 

Stephen Paddock had modified his guns with bump stocks, which use the guns’ kick to speed firing, before he killed 58 people from his room in Mandalay Bay on Oct. 1. The attack took place in Titus’ congressional district.

The Las Vegas Democrat said the bump stocks and similar technologies, such as a glove that allows the trigger to be pulled much faster than by a finger alone, are not needed for self-protection or hunting.

“We’re not trying to take away those kinds of weapons," she said, "We’re trying to have reasonable, anti-gun violence measures certainly this would qualify for that."

Shortly after the attack, Titus proposed banning bump stocks but the legislation introduced Tuesday would require a background check, fingerprinting and a $200 registration fee for those who purchase the devices.

“You don’t need something that fires 800 times a minute," she said, "You don’t need an automatic machine gun.”

She believes tighter regulation of bump stocks and other types of items that modify weapons has a better chance of actually passing than an all-out ban.

Titus said shortly after the shooting the National Rifle Association said it would support regulation of the devices, which makes her hopeful. 

But she points out that after other mass shootings there has been a push to change laws but forces opposed to regulations make sure it stays stalled in the legislative process until public attention moves on.

“I’m afraid that’s what they’re trying to here," she said.

She believes all Democrats will support gun regulation and some Republican members will as well. 

“It’s just such a horrendous action," Titus said, "Fifty-eight people killed on top of the other mass shootings that we’ve seen so recently. We stand in silence on the floor of the House every time one of these things happen. It’s time to stop standing in silence and start taking action”

The congresswoman believes the power of the NRA is diminishing and people support both the regulation of bump stocks and universal background checks.

 

 

 

 

 

Dina Titus, congresswoman

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With deep experience in journalism, politics, and the nonprofit sector, news producer Doug Puppel has built strong connections statewide that benefit the Nevada Public Radio audience.