Following the tragic mass shootings in Dayton and El Paso that killed 31 people over the weekend, more than 200 mayors signed a letter that urged the Senate to reconvene in order to immediately pass legislation that would strengthen the country’s gun background check policies.

Majority of the mayors that had signed the letter that was sent to Senate leaders on Thursday hailed from cities that had also recently experienced high-profile mass shootings. Democratic Mayor Nan Whaley from Dayton and Republican Mayor Dee Margo from El Paso had signed the letter along with a dozen other Republicans.

The letter itself outlined the need for immediate action to prevent unqualified people from purchasing firearms. The letter urged the Senate to return from their August recess and to pass two background check bills that had already been approved by the Democratic-led House.

Several members of the Senate have heeded the call to reconvene and to approve the proposed bills. Earlier in the week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell mentioned that Republican members of the Senate were prepared to do their part in addressing the recent mass shootings. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer posted on social media earlier in the week calling on McConnell to get the Senate back into session to vote on the bipartisan universal background check legislation.

The first of the two background check bills, which was approved by the Democratic-led House in late February, aims to amend the current federal gun laws to require background checks for all gun sales and transfers. Under the proposed legislation, private sellers will now be required to seek federally licensed dealers to facilitate in the transfer.

The other background check bill, which was passed just a day after the universal background check proposal, aims to extend the time it takes for the FBI to complete a background check on a potential firearm buyer. The FBI, through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), is currently only allotted three days to complete a check. If the FBI does not come back with a response within the three days, a seller can proceed or deny a buyer under his or her own discretion.

Prior to the recent mass shooting incidents, President Donald Trump had threatened to veto the two bills, claiming that they did not sufficiently protect the Second Amendment rights of American citizens. Following the shootings, Trump had changed his tune, stating that he was now more open to considering the background check bills.