WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump, Congress and the gun debate (all times local):

8 a.m.

A Republican senator is calling on President Donald Trump to back his proposed legislation on gun restrictions and says it would an important step in standing up to the National Rifle Association.

Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania acknowledges the bill he's sponsoring with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia lacks the needed votes for Senate passage. The bill would broaden background checks and Toomey says "the president really could make the difference."

Trump — at a White House meeting with lawmakers on Wednesday — accused Toomey of being afraid of the NRA because his bill doesn't seek to raise the minimum age for young people to buy an assault weapon.

Toomey is telling "Fox and Friends" that he stood up to the NRA after sponsoring a similar bill in 2012. He says he remains skeptical about raising the minimum age to 21 because most young people who buy guns are hunters and target shooters who "are not a threat to anyone."

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7:10 a.m.

President Donald Trump says many ideas, "some good & some not so good" have come out of a bipartisan meeting on school safety that he led at the White House.

Trump is tweeting that "Background Checks a big part of conversation." He says gun-free zones around schools are "proven targets of killers."

The president says "after many years, a Bill should emerge. Respect 2nd Amendment!" on the constitutional right to bear arms.

Trump led Wednesday's meeting and allowed it to be televised. He expressed support for expanded background checks, increased school security and more mental health resources, as well as raising the age to 21 for purchasing some firearms.

Trump also suggested letting law enforcement confiscate a person's guns without a court order.

Trump plans another school safety meeting on Thursday.

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12:25 a.m.

President Donald Trump is accusing some lawmakers of being too fearful of the National Rifle Association to pass new gun measures.

He's calling for substantial changes in the nation's gun laws — a position he pushed during a White House meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers.

In the wake of the Florida school shooting, the president says he favors a "comprehensive" approach to addressing gun violence, but he's offering no details.

He appears to support expanded background checks, increased school security and more mental health resources. And he's reaffirming support for raising the age to 21 for purchasing some firearms.

Trump has mentioned arming teachers, and says his administration, not Congress, would ban bump-stock devices that enable guns to fire like automatic weapons.

He says he's told NRA officials it's time to act.