Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) calls for gun-control legislation aimed at protecting lawmakers

By Rachel Weiner

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) plans to introduce legislation making it illegal to carry a firearm within 1,000 feet of lawmakers and some other government officials.

"It is imperative that we do all that we can to give law enforcement the tools they need to ensure the safety of New Yorkers and prevent an attack before it happens," King said at a news conference with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "That is why, as chairman of the Homeland Security Committee and co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Illegal Guns, I will be introducing legislation that would make it illegal to knowingly carry a gun within a 1,000 feet of certain high-profile government officials."

Bloomberg argued for reforms of the background check system.

"Just as we saw after Virginia Tech, the Arizona tragedy has once again exposed fatal cracks in our background check system," Bloomberg said. "The law says that drug abusers can't buy guns, but even though Jared Loughner was rejected by the military for drug use and arrested on drug charges, he was able to pass a background check and buy a gun. It should be clear to everyone that the system is broken, and it is time for our leaders in Washington to step up and fix it."

King is the first Republican lawmaker to seek new gun-control legislation in the wake of Saturday's fatal shootings. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) plans to introduce a bill to restrict sales of high-capacity ammunition clips like the ones used by the Tucson gunman.

Bloomberg News reports that sales of Glock pistols have risen since the attack. "When something like this happens, people get worried that the government is going to ban stuff," said gun shop owner Greg Wolff. "We're at double our volume over what we usually do."