Plan to boost 'red flag' gun laws gains momentum in Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite frequent mass shootings, Congress has proven unable to pass substantial gun violence legislation, in large part because of resistance from Republicans.

But a bipartisan proposal by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., is gaining momentum following weekend mass shootings in Texas and Ohio. The still-emerging plan would create a federal grant program to encourage states to adopt "red flag" laws to take guns away from people believed to be a danger to themselves or others.

A similar bill never came up for a vote in the GOP-controlled Senate last year, but both parties express hope that this year will be different. President Donald Trump has signaled support for the plan.

"We must make sure that those judged to pose a grave risk to public safety do not have access to firearms and that if they do those firearms can be taken through rapid due process," Trump said in a White House speech Monday.

Many mass shootings "involved individuals who showed signs of violent behavior that are either ignored or not followed up on," said Graham, chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee. "State red flag laws will provide the tools for law enforcement to do something about many of these situations before it's too late."

In an interview Tuesday, Blumenthal said there's "a growing wave of support on both sides of the aisle" for the red-flag plan — more momentum in fact "than any other gun violence plan" being debated in Congress, including a proposal Blumenthal supports to require universal background checks for gun purchases.

A closer look at red flag laws, which have been adopted by at least 15 states and the District of Columbia.

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HOW DOES A RED FLAG LAW WORK?

In general, red flag or "extreme risk protection order" laws...