Factbox: Democrats step up calls for gun legislation as U.S. Congress returns

FILE PHOTO: U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) reacts after signing the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 on Capitol in Washington, U.S., August 1, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As Congress returns from its August recess on Monday, Democratic leaders in Congress are stepping up calls for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, to take action to pass legislation to prevent gun violence.

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and other senior Democrats said on Sunday they will gather Monday afternoon to urge McConnell to "end his harmful legislative graveyard" and bring a House-passed bill expanding background checks on gun purchases to the Senate floor as soon as possible.