Washington D.C. (NCC News) – President Joe Biden announced wide-ranging executive action focused on reducing gun violence in the United States on Thursday.
Biden’s priorities include reducing untraceable guns and implementing red flag laws to improve gun control and reduce the overall risk of the weapons. The countermeasures come after mass-shootings took place in Georgia, California, and Colorado over the past few weeks. The President began his speech by stressing the need to put a stop to the shootings.
“Gun violence in this country is an epidemic and it is an international embarrassment,” Mr. Biden said.
Biden instructed the Department of Justice to create rules to minimize the risk of “ghost guns”. “Ghost guns” are weapons that are made at home and often don’t have traceable serial numbers. The President says it’s vital to subject the parts and kits used to make homemade guns to the same treatment as firearms. This would include putting serial numbers on gun parts and implementing background check laws.
Additionally Biden, focused on reducing access to stabilizing braces, devices used to improve the deadliness of a pistol. The Boulder shooter appears to have used one of these devices, the President said.
President Biden also asked the Department of Justice establish model “red flag” laws as guiding examples for states. “Red flag” laws allow family members and law enforcement to ask courts to temporarily prevent individuals from buying firearms.
Mr. Biden will likely receive pushback on the countermeasures. Biden believes he has a responsibility to limit gun violence in America.
“The job of any president is to protect the American people, whether Congress acts or not,” Biden said. “I’m going to use all the resources at my disposal to keep the American people safe from gun violence. But there’s much more that Congress can do to help that effort.”
Biden specifically stressed the importance of supporting gun reform legislation in Congress.
“I believe the Senate should immediately pass three House-passed bills to close loopholes that allow gun purchasers to bypass the background checks,” Biden said.
