Rep. Jamie Raskin honed in on gun laws Monday as one of the major reasons why a sniper nearly assassinated former President Donald Trump, saying Congress bears blame for allowing weapons to flow so freely.

The Maryland lawmaker, the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, said the Secret Service had major failures in the shooting. But he said he and his colleagues also failed to keep guns out of the hands of people like the 20-year-old shooter, who was killed by Secret Service.

Mr. Raskin said the shooter borrowed his father’s rifle, which he called an AR-15 style weapon.

“We have to find the courage and resolve to pass a ban on the AR-15 and other assault weapons,” he said.

Mr. Raskin was speaking at the start of a hearing with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. The committee is examining the agency’s failures on July 13.

• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.