WATCH: Dem Rep presses to change ‘conversation’ on guns

A Democratic lawmaker pressing for Congress to act on gun safety bills says her colleagues need to change the “conversation” about guns to change the laws.

“We need to not have the traditional conversation ‘You’re trying to take away my guns,’” Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) said in an interview with The Hill. 

“We shouldn’t take away guns from people that are lawful, respectful, law-abiding citizens, but there’s some people that shouldn’t have access to guns and we need to figure out how we keep those guns from people that can harm themselves or others,” she said.

Dingell said she is working with Michigan colleague Rep. Fred Upton (R) to try to build a coalition to pursue commonsense gun proposals.

“Law enforcement and families need to have the tools they need that if they know that someone is a threat, how do you get a gun out of their hands,” she said.

Talk of action on such “red flag” laws has picked up. The laws would be intended to keep people deemed to be a threat to themselves or others from getting or keeping guns.

Another colleague, Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), expressed pessimism a deal will be reached.

“I wish I were more optimistic. I think there’s broad agreement on a number of measures but that agreement is never going to become law unless the Speaker allows these bills to come to the floor,” he said, referring to Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).

Click the video above to hear the lawmakers in their own words.