A local lawmaker is calling for a new committee to study gun violence.  5th District Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty a vice chair of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.  On Thursday, she introduced a resolution to establish a new Select Committee to study and make recommendations to address several related matters.

Esty says there's been a disturbing trend in Congress since 12-14.  By her count, Esty says they have held 16 moments of silence on the House floor to honor those killed by gun violence since the tragedy at Sandy Hook.

Those calling for the committee say no proposal is going to stop every shooting, but that they can come up with solutions that stop some tragedies.

The Select Committee on Gun Violence would study and make recommendations to address several matters.  They include loopholes that allow some domestic abusers continued access to firearms, gun violence's effect on public health and connections between access to firearms and dangerously mentally ill individuals.  The committee would also be tasked with looking into the correlation between State gun violence prevention laws and the incidence of gun violence and federal penalties for trafficking and straw purchasing of firearms.

Esty also called for a vote to bring the bipartisan background check bill to the House floor.