Sen. Heidi Heitkamp: Reported Obama Gun Proposals ‘Way in Extreme’
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ABC News(NEW YORK) — Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D. said Sunday morning on “This Week” that while all options should be on the table to address gun violence, President Obama’s reported plans to curve shootings are ”way in extreme” when asked about the types of measures she could potentially support.
“I think you need to put everything on the table, but what I hear from the administration — and if the Washington Post is to be believed — that’s way — way in extreme of what I think is necessary or even should be talked about. And it’s not going to pass,” said Heitkamp, a member of the National Rifle Association.
Heitkamp – who has an A rating from the NRA and was elected in a state that Gov. Mitt Romney won by nearly 20 points – stressed the importance of addressing mental health as part of the effort to curve violent shootings.
“Let’s start addressing the problem. And to me, one of the issues that I think comes — screams out of this is the issue of mental health and the care for the mentally ill in our country, especially the dangerously mentally ill. And so we need to have a broad discussion before we start talking about gun control,” said Heitkamp.
The renewed effort to address gun violence by the White House comes after 20 children were shot and killed last month in Newtown, Conn.
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