ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Senators are beginning to draft the most significant gun control measures in nearly 30 years. Sen. Martin Heinrich was part of that group that came up with the framework.

“Recently, when I went to pick up my son at Albuquerque High, they were under lockdown because of a student-on-student shooting event just off-campus, so we know the level of gun violence is appalling and unacceptable,” Heinrich said.

Sen. Heinrich says New Mexico’s rate of gun-related deaths is among the highest in the nation and more needs to be done to curb the violence. As a gun owner himself, he said he recognizes why it’s important to protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners.

But he believes there is room for compromise. “I personally refuse to believe we are so divided in this country that we cannot make this situation better,” Heinrich said.

Now that a framework is in place, Sen. Heinrich says congress needs to work quickly to hammer out the language for the bill.