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Article snippet: Congress returned to Washington on Monday facing the grim and all-too-frequent task of consoling a country rocked by yet another shooting massacre, this one at a small church in rural Texas. But beyond the rudimentary calls for solidarity in the face of unspeakable violence, there was little unity in the nation’s capital, as lawmakers quickly adopted the familiar postures that have left the parties diametrically opposed when it comes to Congress’s role in battling rampant gun deaths. Republicans, behind President Trump, quickly shifted the debate from firearms to mental health. Speaking at a news conference in Tokyo, the president lamented the “very sad event,” but rejected the notion that the nation’s gun laws are too lax. “This isn’t a guns situation,” Trump said. Democrats pointed to Sunday’s shooting as just the latest evidence that guns fall too easily into the hands of those with violent intent. They’re accusing GOP leaders of sitting idly by out of fear of the gun lobby while the death tolls mount. “It is inexcusable for us to offer our sympathy but not take any action to prevent the next tragedy,” said Rep. MORE (Md.), the Democratic whip. The entrenched discord over the scope of Second Amendment rights is hardly new, though it foreshadows yet another season of angry debate and congressional inaction even as the country reels from Sunday’s massacre in Texas. For some gun reformers, the mood is one of simple resignation. “I’ve been here for a number of t... Link to the full article to read more