Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has directed Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) to work with Democratic lawmakers on a "bipartisan solution" to gun violence.

Driving the news: McConnell told CNN he "encouraged" Cornyn to work with Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) "and others who are interested in trying to get an outcome that's directly related to the problem."

Between the lines: Senate Democrats had already expressed interest in having Cornyn as the point of contact for talks, given the shooting happened in his state, Axios' Alayna Treene reports.

• Cornyn has shown compassion and willingness to work with Democrats on similar issues before.

The big picture: Senate lawmakers on both sides held small-group discussions to gauge bipartisan support for the passage of bills following the shooting at a Texas elementary school in which a gunman killed 19 kids and two adults.

Be smart: Any sort of gun-related legislation would need 60 votes to pass the Senate.

The latest: Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a bill that would have created new federal offices focused on domestic terrorism.

• Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) had scheduled a vote on the bill in response to a shooting in Buffalo, New York, that resulted in the deaths of 10 Black people.