democratic leader. mr. schumer: i ask unanimous consent that the quorum call be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: mr. president, on friday morning there was yet another shooting in a school in america. another community torn apart by senseless violence. another week when parents must bury their children. we're still learning the tragic details of what happened in santa fe, but the basic reality remains unchanged, far too many people are dying from gun violence. what we need now more than ever is substantive debate on gun violence. a real debate about universal background checks, a real debate about productive orders and a real debate on assault weapons. many in the -- in the wake of parkland, it looked like president trump would finally get religion this issue. he promised a serious debate on gun violence, but as p soon -- but as soon as the n.r.a. closed ranks around him, he backed off. that seems to be the pattern in this administration. the...

and justice for all. mr. mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: the nation watched in horror fry die it is a as a senseless act of morer changed the community forever. the senate stands in mourning, sorrow with the students and faculty in santa fe, texas. no community should ever be subject to such who are he and heartbreak. our hearts go out to the families of those killed, to the winds who continue to battle injuries, to the first respon responders who leapt into action and to the santa fe community that rallies around them. now, mr. president, on an entirely different matter, in the coming day, the senate will take up landmark legislation on one of our top priorities -- providing more option options and better care to america's veterans. the v.a. mission act is a major milestone in an ongoing effort by chairman isakson and the committee on veterans' affairs to ensure our nation fulfills its promises to our men and women in uniform,...