Barletta: Establish Schools As Critical Infrastructure For Safety

Philadelphia (CBS) - In the wake of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Congressman Lou Barletta of Pennsylvania is proposing to establish the schools in the United States as a new sector of critical infrastructure. Barletta tells The Chris Stigall Show on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT that the best way to stop an event like in Parkland from happening, is to stop the shooter from getting inside.

"There are 16 sectors that we classify in the United States as critical infrastructure and what that means is that we consider their assets are so important, are vital to the United States. Well, our kids are our greatest assets. It's embarrassing for me when I come down to Washington to see the type of security that I get, to see the type of security that federal employees get. Why shouldn't we treat our kids the same way we treat politicians and bureaucrats? And by including it as critical infrastructure, it will allow the Department of Homeland Security to assess our schools for what is needed to keep them safe. Some of it might be actual infrastructure, some of it might be security details, but let's make sure we protect those kids in that school."

Barletta also said the "Fix NICS" proposed bill by Sens. Pat Toomey and Chris Coons makes a lot of sense. 

"What we're all talking about is that we don't someone who shouldn't have a gun, getting a gun, but more so, what we saw with the failures in Florida where the federal government didn't tell the local law enforcement anything about what was going on with this guy (the shooter). We want to make sure that that communication is, if somebody who should not be getting a gun, who'd been denied because of a failure in their background screening, when they attempt to get a gun, they're thinking something bad. And the best way to stop an event is to stop some of these people who are dealing with mental health issues before they carry it out.  It makes a lot of sense and we're not going to impact any law-abiding citizens by it."

Barletta also commented that he supports the president on proposed steel and aluminum tariffs.