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By LISA MASCARO and MATTHEW DALY

WASHINGTON — After a 10-day break, members of Congress are returning to work under hefty pressure to respond to the outcry over gun violence. But no plan appears ready to take off despite a long list of proposals, including many from President Donald Trump.

Republican leaders have kept quiet for days as Trump tossed out ideas, including raising the minimum age to purchase assault-style weapons and arming teachers, though on Saturday the president tweeted that the latter was “Up to states.”

Their silence has left little indication whether they are ready to rally their ranks behind any one of the president’s ideas, dust off another proposal or do nothing. The most likely legislative option is bolstering the federal background check system for gun purchases, but it’s bogged down after being linked with a less popular measure to expand gun rights.

The halting start reflects firm GOP opposition to any bill that would curb access to guns and risk antagonizing gun advocates in their party. Before the Feb. 14 shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 people, Republicans had no intention of reviving the polarizing and politically risky gun debate during an already difficult election year that could endanger their congressional majority.

“There’s no magic bill that’s going to stop the next thing from happening when so many laws are already on the books that weren’t being enforced, that were broken,” said Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., the third-ranking House GOP leader, when asked about solutions. “The breakdowns that happen, this is what drives people nuts,” said Scalise, who suffered life-threatening injuries when a gunman opened fire on lawmakers’ baseball team practice last year.

Under tough public questioning from shooting survivors, Trump has set high expectations for action.

“I think we’re going to have a great bill put forward very soon having to do with background checks, having to do with getting rid of certain things and keeping other things, and perhaps we’ll do something on age,” Trump said in a Fox News Channel interview Saturday night. He added: “We are drawing up strong legislation right now having to do with background checks, mental illness. I think you will have tremendous support. It’s time. It’s time.”

Trump’s early ideas were met with mixed reactions from his party. His talk of allowing teachers to carry concealed weapons into classrooms was rejected by at least one Republican, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., both spoke to Trump on Friday. Their offices declined comment on the conversations or legislative strategy.

Some Republicans backed up Trump’s apparent endorsement of raising the age minimum for buying some weapons.

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said he would support raising the age limit to buy a semi-automatic weapon like the one used in Florida. Rubio also supports lifting the age for rifle purchases. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., a longtime NRA member, wrote in The New York Times that he now supports an assault-weapons ban.

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said he expects to talk soon with Trump, who has said he wants tougher background checks, as Toomey revives the bill he proposed earlier with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., to expand presale checks for firearms purchases online and at gun shows.

First introduced after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 in Connecticut, the measure has twice been rejected by the Senate. Some Democrats in GOP-leaning states joined with Republicans to defeat the measure. Toomey’s office said he is seeking to build bipartisan support after the latest shooting.

“Our president can play a huge and, in fact, probably decisive role in this. So I intend to give this another shot,” Toomey said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

The Senate more likely will turn to a bipartisan bill from Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., to strengthen FBI background checks — a response to a shooting last November in which a gunman killed more than two dozen people at a Texas church.

That bill would penalize federal agencies that don’t properly report required records and reward states that comply by providing them with federal grant preferences. It was drafted after the Air Force acknowledged that it failed to report the Texas gunman’s domestic violence conviction to the National Criminal Information Center database.

The House passed it last year, but only after GOP leaders added an unrelated measure pushed by the National Rifle Association. That measure expands gun rights by making it easier for gun owners to carry concealed weapons across state lines.

The package also included a provision directing the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to review “bump-stock” devices like the one used during the shooting at a Las Vegas music festival that left 58 people dead and hundreds injured.

Murphy told The Associated Press he was invited to discuss gun issues with the White House and he was interested in hearing the president’s ideas. He said he did not expect the Florida shooting to lead to a major breakthrough in Congress for those who’ve long pushed for tighter gun laws.

“There’s not going to be a turning point politically,” he said. Rather, it’s about “slowly and methodically” building a political movement.

Senate Democrats say any attempt to combine the background checks and concealed-carry measures is doomed to fail.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he was skeptical Trump would follow through on proposals such as comprehensive background checks that the NRA opposes.

“The real test of President Trump and the Republican Congress is not words and empathy, but action,” Schumer said in a statement. He noted that Trump has a tendency to change his mind on this and other issues, reminding that the president has called for tougher gun laws only to back away when confronted by resistance from gun owners. The NRA’s independent expenditure arm poured tens of millions into Trump’s 2016 campaign.

“Will President Trump and the Republicans finally buck the NRA and get something done?” Schumer asked. “I hope this time will be different.”

For the past five seasons, the Ducks were putting trade deadline moves under consideration to further their chances at a deep playoff run that would end with them hoisting the Stanley Cup.

It is very different this year. The Ducks aren’t cruising to a Pacific Division title. Nor is a playoff spot just an assumption that will eventually be a reality. They’re in a real battle to make the postseason.

But the attitude of the organization, from owner Henry Samueli and General Manager Bob Murray on down, is to just get itself in. The seed doesn’t matter. Just secure a spot and take its chances with a roster built for when play ramps up several notches as best-of-7 series are on the line.

Even after voicing his frustration with his inconsistent team, Murray has to consider if a notable move may be the thing the Ducks need to break from the pack in the West and print playoff tickets. There will be interested observers in the dressing room to see if he does something and what it will be.

“When the deadline comes close, everybody just sits and wait for it,” Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. “You’re waiting to see what happens around the league and what happens in your own room, those kinds of things. It’s a hard thing to avoid. I’m just glad it’s going to be over tomorrow.”

Assets: It is not as if Murray doesn’t have something to offer. The Ducks have their picks in the first two rounds of this summer’s draft and hold two selections in the third round, with the extra one coming in the Adam Henrique trade on Nov. 30.

Having lost his 2017 first-round pick to Dallas as the result of acquiring Patrick Eaves, Murray isn’t eager to see another one disappear unless he’s getting a long-term star in return. He’ll gladly deal one of the third-round picks and might move the second-rounder for the right player – one that he can see re-signing.

The prospect pool remains intriguing. There’s no more Shea Theodore around to possibly dangle but they’ve got defensemen Jacob Larsson and Marcus Pettersson, though the latter is earning the trust of Ducks coach Randy Carlyle with his safe play and accurate outlet pass out of his zone.

Outside of Rickard Rakell and Ondrej Kase, the Ducks are devoid of young difference-makers up front so there’s no surplus to use in a deal. The best forward prospects – Sam Steel, Max Jones, Maxime Comtois and Troy Terry – aren’t ready but keeping some, if not all, of them might be the goal as the triumvirate of Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Ryan Kesler is only getting older.

Needs: With secondary scoring having dried up and being intermittent all season, the Ducks have a real need for a winger that can put the puck in the net. Particularly on the left side as Rakell’s 25 goals easily top the combined total of Andrew Cogliano, Nick Ritchie and Chris Wagner.

Cap room: The Ducks have a shade under $3 million available, according to Capfriendly.com. It gives them the space to add a modest salary without having to part with a roster player out of necessity.

Targets: Vancouver scorer Thomas Vanek has 17 goals and is working on a one-year deal worth a bargain $2 million. The Canucks will move him – they sat him Sunday against Arizona as a protective measure – and, if the Ducks have legitimate interest as it has been reported, a third-round pick might be enough to procure his services. Anaheim has an extra third in this year’s draft.

Vanek would be a pure rental as he’ll be an unrestricted free agent who could re-sign with the Canucks in July but the cost wouldn’t be nearly as much as bigger fish such as Montreal’s Max Pacioretty and Ottawa’s Mike Hoffman, who have term left on their deals and the cost for either would be prohibitive.

Edmonton held out Patrick Maroon on Sunday but a possible reunion between the winger and the Ducks does not seem likely. Though he comes with some prior baggage, Buffalo’s Evander Kane could be an option if the Sabres drop their asking price.

The Ducks are expected to announce the signing of longtime NHL forward Chris Kelly. Reports have him brought in on a contract for the rest of the season, which will pay him a pro-rated $1.25 million.

Kelly, a versatile checker for 12 seasons with Ottawa and Boston, captained Canada in the recent Winter Olympics. The 37-year-old won a Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011 but was playing with Ottawa’s American Hockey League team.

Issues:  The Ducks have only one 20-goal scorer on an offense that ranks 25th in the NHL. They’re also among the bottom five in shots on goal and the bottom third with a power play that doesn’t get many chances and only converts 17.5 percent of them.

History: As much as Murray isn’t a fan of the deadline and would rather do his heavy lifting over the summer, the past shows that he doesn’t sit idly aside. Eaves was brought in a few days before the deadline last season and other notable acquisitions over their years of contention have been Stephane Robidas, Simon Despres and Jamie McGinn. None would bring them their second Cup, however.

Odds:  The Ducks were cool on Vanek when he was available in 2014 but there wasn’t as much need for a one-dimensional scorer for a 54-win team that could fill up the net. Perhaps it’s different this time. With Eaves sidelined all season due to illness, there is a need for someone else that has touch around the net and can finish off plays in the offensive zone.

James Long’s vision for Iceberg was crystal clear and blunt enough to sink the Titanic all over again: Streetwear currency of the in-your-face logo, Pop collaboration — Mickey Mouse — and influencer/hip-hop variety. His entire collection was maxed out on basic ath-leisure merch: puffers, track suits, sporty sweaters, shopping bag totes with the Iceberg logo slapped on wherever possible. The audience was stocked with guys and girls who seemed like the selfie-loving types Long seemed hellbent on targeting in the interest of imbuing Iceberg with social currency. Will it work? Who knows, but fake it till you make it, as they say.

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Gaia Trussardi wanted to tap into the northern Italian tradition of hightailing to the mountains on winter weekends — either the Alps or the Dolomites — with a coed collection that fused the urban with the rugged. She succeeded with some strong and stylish shearling coats and mountain-print jackets but, overall, the collection was hit-or-miss.
The hits included an olive wool coat with patch pockets and a hood, shearlings in a plaid print, and color-blocked leather biker jackets. Sporty jackets came with sky and mountain motifs, while a black shearling with cobalt cuffs and lining had lots of graphic appeal.
The rest of the collection was spotty and unfocused, including skirts with long flaps, chunky zips or snaps, a leather motorcycle ensemble in Pepto Bismol pink and black, and a lineup of boxy, sleeveless vests like those fleece tops used for skiing or hiking. There was some eveningwear in the mix, too, including a mountain print gown and black dresses with sheer panels, but none of the pieces gelled into a coherent, or desirable, collection.

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To say that there were many moving parts to Tommy Hilfiger’s spring TommyNow see-now-buy-now extravaganza would be not only a bad pun — the show, titled Drive, was race-car themed — but a massive understatement. An extraordinary amount of things have to fall in line to make these massive shows a success — it’s astonishing and remarkable that they have. Then again, Hilfiger runs a well-oiled machine.
Hilfiger has managed to capitalize on the see-now-buy-now moment in a way no other designer has by committing to it on another level from a production, design and delivery perspective, and by making it a social/digital tidal wave triggered by the power of Gigi Hadid, who collaborates on the Tommy x Gigi capsule collection. One hundred percent of the men’s, women’s and Gigi collection were available to purchase online the second they hit the runway. By the following morning, the collections will be shoppable in 20,000 physical points of sale. The whole shebang has dovetailed serendipitously with the revival of streetwear, logomania and Nineties nostalgia, which Hilfiger has major rights to — he was one of the original kings of logo-fied street gear the first time around twentysomething years ago. Oh, and earlier this month

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Daniele Calcaterra’s fall collection was a study in contrasts. Taking his cue from androgynous muses like Marlene Dietrich and Loulou de la Falaise, the designer played with tailoring proportions, alternating between tidy cropped jackets and outerwear of gargantuan dimensions.
A fur-trimmed white coat, its shoulders jutting out way past the model’s shoulders, was paired with a Cab Calloway-style suit. Felted gray cashmere gave an odd heft to a bustier dress, its hourglass shape drowned by an oversized men’s jacket.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, a floor-length gown in flowing rust-colored chiffon was as light as a whisper. Gauzy layers underpinned pinstriped wool, and added a filmy veil to a sculptural wrap top and pleated trousers.
The display suggested Calcaterra’s cerebral customer embraces her contradictions. The flashes of glossy pony skin and beaver fur hinted she has a wild streak bubbling just under the surface.

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IN THE SWIM: Rebecca Minkoff, who gave birth to her third child, Nico Valentine Bellour, on Feb. 10, isn’t letting maternity leave slow her down. Today, she launches her first swimwear collection that will be available exclusively at her own stores in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco, and online.
Made in Los Angeles using Italian fabrics, Minkoff’s swim styles are designed to be mixed, matched and reversed. The spring collection includes 15 silhouettes, each available in several solids and prints, with bottoms offered in a range of coverage options, including, “teeny,” moderate and full. Tops retail from $70 to $110, bottoms are $60 to $75, and one-pieces are $135 to $145.

A spring style from Rebecca Minkoff. 
Courtesy Photo

“Swim is a category I have been wanting to introduce for some time, and creating this collection has been almost two years in the making,” said Minkoff, cofounder and designer. “I love everything about offering my on-the-go girl a gorgeous piece of swim that evokes a free-spirited style, while remaining true to our high-quality standards — one she can always count on each time she needs a new suit for her upcoming travels. It’s all about living life by her own rules

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PRADA CRUISES TO NEW YORK: Miuccia Prada will show her cruise 2019 collection in New York on May 4, but is keeping details about the location under wraps.
Prada’s first fashion show dedicated to the resort season was held in Milan last May. It was also the first time a show was staged at the Fondazione Prada Osservatorio, an exhibition space dedicated to contemporary art and visual arts located in the shopping arcade Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Alessandro Michele at Gucci will be traveling to Arles for his next cruise show, to be held in Arles on May 30, while Nicolas Ghesquière has chosen a holiday destination for Louis Vuitton’s next cruise show: the French Riviera. Vuitton has set May 28 as the date for its next itinerant fashion spectacle, but the exact location will be revealed at a later date.
 
 

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Among the guests at Giorgio Armani’s Emporio Armani show on Sunday was Matilda Lutz, the face of the brand’s Because It’s You fragrance.
The “Rings” star has been creating buzz on the festival scene for her performance in “Revenge,” French director Coralie Fargeat’s feature debut, in which the Italian actress plays a young woman who travels to a remote desert villa with her married boyfriend. The trip ends in a bloodbath after one of the man’s friends rapes her.
Lutz said she first realized the film was hitting a nerve when it bowed at the Toronto Film Festival in September. “All the audience was, like, going crazy and they’re rooting for the character and they were screaming,” she recalled. The saga of female vengeance also won plaudits at the Sundance Film Festival last month.
“It’s definitely a metaphor for what’s going on right now, and I’m sure that the director didn’t really think about #MeToo or all the movements that are happening in the world, but she basically thought that women always had to adjust to the society,” Lutz remarked.
Her next role represents a 180-degree turn. She plays Simonetta Vespucci, believed to have been a muse of Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli, in season

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LEWIS FOR TOMMY: Lewis Hamilton was clearly impressed by Tommy Hilfiger’s set at the TommyNow show in Milan, which re-created a Formula One racetrack. “I can’t believe it. I am struggling to grasp this,” he said backstage. “The crossover between Formula One and fashion is there but it’s never been acknowledged before now. It’s the first time Tommy is bringing over the cars…To have that fusion, it’s really great and what drives us. Tommy has been crazy about cars and racing for a long time.”
Asked whether he could be following in Gigi Hadid’s footsteps, designing the next capsule for the brand, or launching his own fashion line, the stylish Formula One champion, often seen front row on the international fashion circuit, demurred. “I don’t think there’s any plans at the moment, I love [fashion] but at the moment I am like an intern. I am trying to learn from Tommy but who knows what we have up our sleeves for the future,” he said.

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