Senate Democrat ‘hopeful’ Congress will pass bipartisan bill to address mass shootings

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) on Sunday said he is “hopeful” that bipartisan negotiations between Republicans and Democrats could lead to a bill to address the rise of mass shootings in the country.

Cardin told “Fox News Sunday” guest host Sandra Smith that he believes negotiators could reach a consensus on a bill to tackle gun violence, but did not offer specifics.

“At this moment, I’m, hopeful that Democrats and Republicans will come together and recognize the safety of our community needs to come first,” Cardin said.

After the mass shooting in Texas last week that left 19 children and two adults dead, a bipartisan group of senators formed to discuss action to address the rise of mass shootings and gun violence in the U.S. The group of 10 U.S. senators is reportedly looking at expanding background checks and red flag laws.

The 18-year-old gunman who authorities say opened fire inside Robb Elementary School in Uvalde last week reportedly bought an AR-15-style rifle days before the shooting from a gun store.

Cardin on Sunday said the U.S. is an “outlier” for mass shootings, arguing other countries have concerns about mental health but only America suffers from so many mass shootings.

“We’re in a class by ourselves,” he said.

“One of the reasons is the fact it’s so easy to get these military-style weapons,” he added. ” I think it raises questions about America and our laws compared to the rest of the world.”