Kamala Harris: “If Elected I Will Take Gun Dealers’ Licenses Away”

Washington (CNN) California Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris said the lack of federal action on gun legislation is due to a lack of follow through in Washington despite an abundance of available new policies.

“On this issue of the need for gun safety laws, we’re not at any loss for good ideas,” the 2020 presidential candidate said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “People have been having good ideas for decades on this issue.

"On this issue of the need for gun safety laws, we're not at any loss for good ideas… What we're waiting for is Congress to have the courage to act," says Sen. @KamalaHarris.

As President, "I am prepared to take executive action, because that's what's needed." #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/qhn72sCDri

— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) May 12, 2019

What we’re at a loss is for people in Congress to have the courage to do something.”

Harris, in the interview that aired Sunday, reaffirmed her call for new gun measures to curtail violence and pledged to take executive action shortly into her presidency should Congress not pass the measures she has demanded.

“If by my 100th day in office when elected president of the United States, the United States Congress fails to put a bill on my desk to sign with all of the good ideas or any of the good ideas that I’m prepared to take executive action because that’s what’s needed,” Harris said.

Harris said the executive action would include requiring anyone who sells more than five guns a year to perform background checks and directing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) “to remove and take away the licenses of gun dealers who fail to follow the law.”

Harris’ comments came in response to a question about a proposal from one of her 2020 competitors, New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker, who recently put forward his plan on gun violence, including calling for federal gun licenses.

Harris said she liked the proposal before making her broader statement about other gun measures.

In the interview, the former California attorney general pointed to the recent school shooting in Colorado as cause to act without delay, rather than wait for further tragedies.

“We’re not waiting for the worst tragedy because we’ve seen the worst of tragedies,” Harris said.