The Democratic president will speak from Monterey Park, California, about his most recent initiatives to reduce gun violence. At a Lunar New Year celebration, a shooter stormed a dance club in a neighborhood close to Los Angeles and shot 20 people, killing 11.
Biden's language has only become louder around guns — he often calls for banning so-called assault weapons in his speeches — and Democrats didn't promote such a vocal gun-control program even during the Obama administration, when Biden was vice president. Yet, Biden has gained confidence following the midterm elections as a result of the fact that his constant advocacy of gun control did not result in significant losses. As he moves closer to a 2024 bid, his advisers expect him to continue to fight for significant improvements.
The 26-year-old who pulled the semi-automatic firearm away from the shooter in Monterey Park was invited to Biden's State of the Union speech, and the vice president commended the young man for his bravery.
"He helped people. It's time for us to follow suit "In his address to Congress, Biden remarked. "Abolish the use of assault weapons forever."
The most comprehensive gun violence legislation in decades was passed by Congress last summer, but the president's authority is constrained to move beyond it. It came after the murders of 19 kids and two instructors at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and 10 consumers at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, in addition to 10 shoppers.
Gun violence has claimed "too many lives," according to Karine Jean-Pierre, the press secretary for the White House, on Monday. "But he thinks we should go further. You'll hear him urge Congress to act and not to give up—that we must go on."
In order to better structure the government to support communities affected by gun violence, Biden will order his Cabinet to develop a strategy. In order to ensure that gun dealers with federal licenses understand that doing background checks is a requirement of their licensing, the plan will ask Attorney General Merrick Garland to strengthen the regulations.
For a clearinghouse that enables federal, state, and local law enforcement to link shell casings to guns, Biden is also requiring better reporting of ballistics data from federal law enforcement. However, it is not mandatory for local and state law enforcement agencies to report ballistics data, and many do not, which reduces the effectiveness of the clearinghouse.
The Federal Trade Commission will also be asked by the president to publish a report that examines how gun manufacturers market to children and utilize military imagery to appeal to the wider public.
Advocates for gun control see the Safer Communities Act, a bill that was passed last year, as a promising beginning but one that doesn't go far enough. According to a database of mass killings since 2006 kept by The Associated Press, USA Today, and Northeastern University, there were 11 additional mass shootings after the bill was signed. The number of shootings that result in fewer than four fatalities is not included in those killings, yet gun violence is on the rise nationwide.
John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, said that President Biden's executive action was "a home run for public safety" today. This is the most recent instance of President Biden's gun safety leadership, and we're proud to support him as he takes strong action to help close the gun-seller loophole, which will significantly expand background checks on gun sales, keep weapons out of the hands of dangerous people, and save lives.
As part of the new law, Biden will also give his Cabinet the task of ensuring that law enforcement agencies are aware of its advantages, particularly with regard to red-flag laws, also known as extreme risk protection orders, which are designed to temporarily take away firearms from people who have a history of violence in order to prevent them from harming themselves or others.
More than $200 million was distributed by the Justice Department last month to assist states and the District of Columbia with managing red-flag laws and other crisis intervention programs.
