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House hearing on gun legislation canceled after shooting

Posted at 10:25 AM, Jun 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-14 10:25:20-04

WASHINGTON — A congressional hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning to debate gun legislation has been canceled until further notice in the wake of Wednesday’s shooting at a Republican congressional baseball practice.

The House Natural Resources Federal Lands Subcommittee spokeswoman Molly Block confirmed the decision to CNN.

The panel had been due to debate the “Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act,” which includes 18 provisions related to guns and hunting, as well as other recreational sporting and outdoors provisions.

The measure would make it easier to purchase silencers, transport guns across state lines and ease restrictions on armor-piercing bullets.

The draft bill is sponsored by Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-South Carolina, who was at Wednesday’s practice in Alexandria, Virginia, where Majority Whip Steve Scalise and four others were shot.

The Natural Resources hearing is one of several events that have been canceled or postponed in the wake of the shooting.

A Senate Appropriations Committee hearing with the US Senate Sergeant at Arms and Capitol Police Chief Matthew Verderosa scheduled for Wednesday morning has also been postponed, the committee said.

Democrats Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Rep. John Conyers of Michigan postponed a news conference where they were set to discuss a lawsuit against President Donald Trump.

Not all events in the Capitol have been canceled. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis are both still testifying at separate hearings on Wednesday.