‘The View’ Host Ana Navarro Rallies For Gun Control Legislation: Congress Needs To “Show That The NRA Does Not Have a Chokehold” On Our Democracy

The View host Ana Navarro is still trying to wrap her head around the new Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Its aim is to strengthen federal gun laws, provide billions of Americans with mental health care, and outline a school safety bill designed to help prevent gun violence and mass shootings, domestic violence, and gun suicide. If the bill transforms into a law, it could keep firearms out of the wrong hands and supply initial support to states and local communities working to stop the crisis. 

Host Sara Hines is rooting for the bill to push through despite the pushback from the Republican party, “I think it’s more important than ever now. What seems to be expanding on the Second Amendment, because, of course, it doesn’t go far enough — and I think the only thing that can go through right now won’t feel far enough on either side — that’s how divided this issue is.

“But the thing that I am pleased about,” Hines continues, “is that in this bill is the boyfriend loophole, the one about domestic abusers because 70 women on average in this country are killed by an intimate partner every month– so to know that they are going to finally flag those people you should not own a weapon — not forever, but they can be taking away for periods of time.”

The discussion became heated as the host brought up the mass shooting at Robb Elementary school in Texas.

“There were so many warnings about this kid,” said Hines. “He carried around a bag of dead cats — I mean, how old were we when knew if people hurt animals that it’s beginning of a problem. Teachers were most scared of this man. How was he not flagged by a system?”

Frustrated and worried, Whoopi Goldberg adds, “There were always warning signs– the guy in Buffalo.” Goldberg reminds the viewers about the mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, NY, on May 24. “There were warning signs with him– they’re warning signs out there. You know you must also have people committed to seriously taking those warning signs.”

Supporting the conversation on mental health, the Sister Act actress wants the government to focus on hiring people who are skilled professionals that study the sanity of the human brain. “A lot of these folks who are given responsibilities– a lot of them don’t know how to handle this, they don’t know what to do. They get someone with mental issues, and they don’t know how to talk to them, they don’t know how to deal with them.”

Turning up the heat of the conversation, Joy Behar seemed furious as she called out the police officers who did not stop the shooter. “The police did not go in there to help these children. So this idea of a good guy with a gun will prevent a bad guy — well, I guess you’re going to have to stretch that to a good guy who is not scared of getting shot by an AR-15.”

“The gun reform legislation has come so far — needs to pass. Because they need to show that the NRA does not have a chokehold,” said Ana Navarro.

The View airs weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.