Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) suggests President Donald Trump should “demand” universal background checks in the wake of the Texas and Ohio shootings.

Trump floated the idea of “strong background checks” early Monday morning, and Schumer responded by tweeting, “universal background checks” should be the target:

Instead of flailing around blaming everything under the sun, if the president is serious about “strong background checks” there’s one thing he can do: Demand Sen. McConnell put the bipartisan, House-passed universal background checks bill up for a vote.https://t.co/owM8PlkEyX — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) August 5, 2019

The U.S. has had background checks on retail gun sales since 1998. When Schumer mentions “universal background checks” he is talking about expanding checks on retail gun sales to include private sales as well.

On August 4, 2019, Breitbart News reported the Dayton, Ohio, shooter “legally” acquired his gun from a retail store. To do it “legally” he had to pass a background check. This means universal background checks would not have prevented his attack, as he was able to pass the checks we already have.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.