Julián Castro has a new plan to "defeat this rising tide of white nationalism."
The former Housing and Urban Development secretary spoke to Iowans at the state fair's "Soapbox" stage on Friday, where he and most other Democratic presidential candidates are campaigning before the nation's first primary voters.
In his speech, Castro talked about getting a call from former President Barack Obama with a job offer, called affordable housing a "human right," and advocated for policies like universal pre-k, among other topics. But when it came to addressing this weekend's mass shootings, Castro said what residents such as those in El Paso really need is "action, they need Congress, they need Mitch McConnell to get the Senate back in session and to pass common sense gun safety legislation. That's what we can do for the people of El Paso and the people of Dayton." His words were met with hearty applause.
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Castro mentioned his newly released plan to "disarm hate," which Dallas News reports is focused on white nationalism and domestic terrorism. "Our nation's weak gun laws enable violent extremism," Castro said of the plan. The proposal calls for required federal gun licenses, universal background checks, and stricter licensing requirements for gun sellers. The plan also loops in requirements for reporting of hate crimes by local and state law enforcement.
Watch Castro's full remarks below, via the Des Moines Register. Summer Meza
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