Senator Ed Markey, calling for gun control legislation in the wake of the Orlando shooting, says proponents of reform should "make sure NRA stands for 'Not Relevant Anymore' in American politics," he said on Boston Public Radio Tuesday.
Markey—who proposed failed legislation last year to provide funding for the Center for Disease Control to study gun violence and prevention—accused the NRA of preventing the Republican-led Congress from acting on gun control reform.
"The reality is the NRA grasp, viselike grasp, of the Republican Party is so absolute even when it comes to research by the Center for Disease Control of the linkage between gun violence and ways to prevent it," he said.
Markey also called for closing the loophole allowing those on the no-fly list to purchase weapons and a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, among other reforms, in a press release Monday .
Though gun reform efforts have been stymied in the past— even in the wake of other mass shootings —Markey was optimistic that advocates could make inroads this time around.
"I think this is a turning point," Markey said. "I think the linkage between terrorism and the ability to access these dangerous weapons is going to make it harder for the Republicans to toe the line of the NRA."
To hear more from Senator Ed Markey, tune in to Boston Public Radio above.
