AUDIO: Udall Announces Support for Bill that Could have Prevented Orlando Gunman from Purchasing Weapon

Also discusses passage of landmark bipartisan chemical safety reform on 'Tuesdays with Tom'

WASHINGTON - Today, on a conference call with New Mexico reporters, U.S. Senator Tom Udall discussed the tragic shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando and announced his support for a bill that could have prevented the gunman, Omar Mateen, from purchasing the weapons he used in his attack. Udall said the shooting exposed a loophole that must be closed that allows known or suspected terrorists to buy firearms. The "Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act" would allow the Attorney General to deny the transfer or sale of firearms to known and suspected terrorists. According to news accounts, Mateen had been investigated by the FBI and at one time was placed on a terrorism watch list.

"This event ... exposed a loophole in the system that we must close. Individuals who are known or suspected of being terrorists should not be able to buy firearms or explosives. That's why I'm supporting a proposed bill - the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act," Udall said. "If the FBI believes there's a reasonable chance someone is going to use a gun in a terrorist attack - it should be able to block the sale. This legislation would provide the FBI with that critical authority. This law would have allowed law enforcement to prevent the sale of guns to Omar Mateen, based on his history."

Udall also discussed Senate passage of a final agreement on landmark bipartisan reform of our nation's broken chemical safety law, the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 (TSCA). Last Tuesday, the Senate voted to send the president a final agreement on the bill Udall co-authored with U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. The president is expected to sign it into law soon, meaning that for the first time in 40 years, the United States will have working chemical safety program.

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Below are highlights from Udall's remarks:

0:00 - Udall welcomes everyone to the call.

0:10 - "The shooting - the worst in our history - is beyond horrible, and my thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and all of Orlando."

0:30 - "Let me be clear: an attack motivated by hate is an attack on us all. What makes our nation great is respect for all people. We are strong and we will not let this divide us."

0:42 - "This event is also an act of terror, and it exposed a loophole in the system that we must close. Individuals who are known or suspected of being terrorists should not be able to buy firearms or explosives. That's why I'm supporting a proposed bill - the Denying Firearms and Explosives to Dangerous Terrorists Act."

1:03 - "If the FBI believes there's a reasonable chance someone is going to use a gun in a terrorist attack - it should be able to block the sale. This legislation would provide the FBI with that critical authority. This law would have allowed law enforcement to prevent the sale of guns to Omar Mateen, based on his history."

1:39 - "As many of you know, I've been working on bipartisan legislation for over three years now to fix the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, and last Tuesday night, the Senate approved the final agreement. The bill is now headed to the president's desk, and I hope he will sign it in the next week or so."

1:59 - "This is historic. It means that for the first time, New Mexicans and all Americans will be protected from dangerous chemicals. Most Americans believe that if they can buy a product at the grocery store or the hardware store, the government has tested it and determined that it's safe. But that isn't true."

2:19 - "We're exposed to hundreds of chemicals in our daily lives. Some are toxic -- even chemicals in common household items."

3:03 - "And the reality is, we don't know the full impact these chemicals are having on our health. Because the law has been completely broken. It was gutted by a court decision in 1991. Some states like California have regulated some chemicals, but states like New Mexico have no way to protect their citizens - until now."

3:23 - "Now, with this law, there will finally be a cop on the beat at the EPA. It's the most significant environmental reform in decades. This new law re-boots the EPA's entire chemical safety program."

4:25 - "But we're not done yet. We need to make sure the EPA gets off on the right foot with this new program. It needs to be a success. I'm the ranking member on the Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the EPA's budget, and I will be fighting to make sure the EPA has the resources it needs to do its job."

4:50 - Udall answers questions regarding the Orlando shooting, the president's upcoming visit to Carlsbad Caverns, and the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Conservation Act.