President Donald Trump's listening session with school shooting survivors and family members was "an important first step" in the process of improving school safety, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, said Thursday.
Castro appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" and referenced Trump's televised White House meeting that took place in the State Dining Room Wednesday.
"I thought it was very important for him to do that. I think it's good to that he listened to their stories and had a conversation with them about their experience and what they believe needs to be done," Castro said. "I think it's an important first step and we've even heard some promising statements from him about bump stocks and background checks."
Castro later interjected his own opinion into the debate, saying he would like to see better checks before gun purchases and controls on certain guns and/or gun accessories.
"We also need universal background checks," he said. "We have to ban bump stocks and you have to either abandon the assault rifle or assault weapons or limit high-capacity magazines so that somebody can't shoot off 30 rounds before somebody even turns around and has a chance to respond."
The gun control debate has taken over the headlines in the wake of last Wednesday's high school massacre, in which a gunman walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida and fatally shot 14 students and three staff members. The 19-year-old accused gunman was arrested a short time after the shooting.
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