CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois politicians are taking a leading role in the push for tougher national gun laws.
On Friday, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin was in Chicago trying to earn support for two bills he co-sponsored. One would ban assault weapons and the other would crack down on straw purchasers who legally buy weapons for others who are prohibited from doing so.
Also on Friday, Chicago Democratic Congressman Mike Quigley reintroduced a bill that cracks down on the illegal gun market by improving gun tracking data.
And Illinois' other senator, Republican Mark Kirk, is poised to draft bipartisan gun legislation with Democratic senators Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
