Sen. Donnelly talks gun control

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly said perhaps the biggest challenge ahead for gun control is background checks.

The Senator made a stop in West Lafayette as part of the the final leg of his "I Work for You" tour.
    
Donnelly said he's a strong supporter of the Second Amendment but also a father. He said schools need to be safer, as well as workplaces.
    
He believes perhaps the biggest legislative challenge ahead is background checks.

"How can we do background checks in a better way so that people who have mental health challenges, people with felonies that they can't get their hands on a weapon, whether it's at this event or that event?" Donnelly explained.

Donnelly also talked about the national debt. He said spending needs to be reduced. He brought up the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps. Donnelly said spending was reduced by $16 billion. He said, even with the cuts, it's still an effective program.
    
Donnelly said he wants to take Hoosier common sense with him to Washington. He said people on this tour have told him don't worry about the politics, worry about what's best for the state.
    
"They say, 'Joe, we make our books balance at home. We make our books balance at work. You need to do the same in Washington,'" Donnelly said.

Also Thursday at Purdue, Donnelly spoke with Purdue's Department of Agriculture. Donnelly will serve on the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.