It is time for Americans and lawmakers to insist on "smart" gun laws, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., told MSNBC on Thursday – one day after the deadly Florida high school shooting that left 17 people dead.
Harris, a former prosecutor, said she hopes the carnage "will shock some people into understanding that this cannot be a political issue . . .
"We have to be practical. I support the Second Amendment, but we have to have smart gun safety laws, and we cannot tolerate a society and live in a country with any level of pride when our babies are being slaughtered."
Many lawmakers are calling for tougher gun laws in the wake of the shooting, but it has been historically tough to get Congress to tighten gun laws.
Sen. Jim Himes, D-Conn., told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Thursday there is less than a "2 percent" chance of any gun control law coming to the House Floor because of the gun lobby and its political allies.
President Trump, who campaigned on keeping the Second Amendment strong, reportedly is planning to visit the Parkland, Fla., high school where the shootings took place, and to meet with officials and the families of victims.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.