House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) (Photo: Speaker.gov)

(CNSNews.com) – “We shouldn't be banning guns for law-abiding citizens, we should be focusing on making sure that citizens who should not get guns in the first place do not get those guns," House Speaker Paul Ryan told a news conference on Tuesday.

He noted that "there were a lot of breakdowns" in the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida -- "from local law enforcement, to the FBI getting tips that they didn't follow up on, to school resource officers who were trained to protect kids in these schools and who didn't do that, and that to me is probably the most stunning one of them all.

"So there's a lot that we have to look at, but what want to do is protect people's rights, while making sure that people who should not get guns do not get those guns."

On the question of arming teachers, Ryan said that's an issue for local school boards to decide.

"As a parent myself and as a citizen, I think it's a good idea, but as speaker of the House, I think we need to respect federalism and respect local jurisdictions.”

Ryan said it's good that students from Parkland will be coming to Capitol Hill to engage in the legislative process, and he said lawmakers are trying to find "common ground to make a difference."

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), who was shot and seriously wounded at a congressional baseball practice last June, told the news conference he's concerned about all the laws on the books that were not enforced in the Florida case.

"I think what angers me the most is when I see breakdowns with law enforcement,” Scalise said. “The FBI had this guy's name on a silver platter. Not just innuendo...he himself said he wanted to be a professional school shooter, and it was posted under his name and ultimately turned over the FBI.

“And somewhere along the way in the FBI's chain of command, they let it go. I think we ought to ask those tough questions and hold people accountable."

Scalise said he was the most angered by the failure of a trained and armed sheriff's deputy who "hid out" instead of protecting the students as they were being shot.

"I wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for law enforcement confronting the shooter in my case."