Rep. Nancy Mace (RS.C.) on Sunday called Republican lawmakers for “silent” on gun violence and “extreme” stances on abortion.
“Every mass shooting, there is only silence. Prayers are offered, Easter baskets are offered, but there is no real solution,” said the lawmaker on “Fox News Sunday” after a string of mass shootings across the country.
Mace recommended implementing stronger background checks and other measures to protect against gun violence, but stopped short of calling for gun control beyond tightening background checks for gun purchasers.
“Republicans can no longer remain silent on this issue,” he said. “And it’s not about the Second Amendment. There are a lot of things we can do besides say a prayer and be silent. Some kind of Amber Alert, for example, to let the public know that there’s a shooting.
“Strengthening background checks is something that the majority of Americans support. Make schools, churches and places of worship more proactive.
“Every time there’s a mass shooting – and it’s increasing every year – every week, we don’t say anything. We want to bury our heads in the sand and hope that it will go away. But guess what? It won’t go away,” he added .
Noting that he represents a purple district, Mace continued: “We learned nothing from the midterm elections that we’re going to sit here in silence, not offering any solutions to reduce gun violence in our country.”
“And it’s not about gun control,” he added.
Regarding abortion, Mace said that some of the positions taken by Republicans – especially in cases related to rape and incest or when the life of the mother is in danger – are “so extreme” that independent voters and those in the middle of the political spectrum “cannot support us..”
“If we’re going to ban abortion, what are we going to do to make sure women have access to birth control?” she said.
Although Mace describes himself as “pro-life,” he said there are many ways for Republicans to “protect life and not alienate independent voters,” such as increasing access to contraception, improving adoption services and the foster care system and strengthening OBGYN access. and care.
Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, Republican-led state legislatures across the country have banned or severely restricted access to abortions. In 13 countries, most abortions are now banned, with no exceptions for rape or incest.
Mace, a self-described fiscal and constitutional conservative, defeated a primary challenger backed by Donald Trump last year. He has been critical of the former president’s role in inciting the January 6, 2021, uprising, although he did not choose to impeach him for it. Instead, they voted to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory.
He also expressed disagreement with members of the party’s extremist faction, such as Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).