Do NC’s Tillis and Burr think gun reform is unnecessary? Then own it, senators.

The two deadliest mass shootings of 2022 occurred just 10 days apart. Together, they resulted in the loss of 31 lives. In both cases, the shooter obtained the weapons legally.

Congress, including some Republicans, are looking to find a way to pass gun laws that could reduce the frequency at which these tragedies occur.

But don’t expect much from North Carolina’s Republican senators, Richard Burr and Thom Tillis.

Burr and Tillis — who have, in the course of their political careers, received more support from the National Rifle Association than nearly any other sitting senator — have historically opposed most gun control legislation. They’ve voted down bills introduced in the wake of other mass shootings that would, for example, require universal background checks and close dangerous loopholes in existing law.

There’s little indication that they won’t do the exact same thing now. In fact, when asked about it, they can hardly be bothered to muster a response.

Neither Burr nor Tillis responded to an inquiry that PBS NewsHour sent to all 100 senators asking what action should be taken on gun laws. Some of their Republican colleagues did respond.

The New York Times reached out to every Republican senator to ask whether they would support stronger background check legislation approved by the House last year. Both Burr and Tillis fell in the “Declined to answer or deflected” category.

The Editorial Board also contacted Tillis and Burr’s offices to ask where they stand on gun legislation. We received no response.

Tillis has made a few public utterances, and they’ve been disappointing. After the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Tillis expressed doubt that the shooter was “in any way affected by Congress’s action or inaction” on gun laws and questioned whether Congress was obligated to do something now, The Washington Post reported.

Tillis also warned Democrats against having a “reflexive reaction” by trying to pass laws that would take guns out of people’s hands, and suggested that lawmakers focus on “prevention” rather than “controlling weapons.” There were probably “signs” that the 18-year-old shooter was “at risk,” he told CNN.

Just don’t ask him what he wants to do about it.

A bipartisan group of senators has been working to negotiate a compromise on new gun laws that could pass a deeply divided Senate. Tillis, who vowed to consider any policy that doesn’t “deny people their Second Amendment rights,” has been included in at least some of those discussions, according to reports. That could be a good thing if the talks lead to something productive. Why is Tillis, who is often quick to tout his work, being quiet about his involvement?

The chances of a deal being reached remain slim, and any compromise would likely have to be small and incremental in order to get Republicans on board. Things like universal background checks or a ban on assault weapons are almost certainly out of the question — even the most modest, common sense gun legislation proposed in the past decade has been blocked by the gun lobby and Second Amendment purists who insist the right to bear arms is untouchable. That’s why more reasonable Republican voices need to be heard, especially now.

Tillis and Burr are quick to say what they don’t support — nearly everything, it seems — but rarely offer solutions of their own, even when asked directly. Do they think that the status quo is fine, despite the alarming frequency at which gun violence occurs? If that’s the case, they should say so. Own it, senators. That’s what leaders do.

This story was originally published June 1, 2022 at 3:57 PM with the headline "Do NC’s Tillis and Burr think gun reform is unnecessary? Then own it, senators.."