President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have announced the creation of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, emphasizing that the steps taken by their administration will save lives.
This new office, under the supervision of Vice President Harris, aims to address the lack of progress in Congress regarding stronger gun control laws. During the announcement, President Biden expressed his gratitude to affected families who have found purpose in their pain.
“Thanks to all of you here today, as well as survivors, family advocates, and especially young people who have demanded better protection for all and have protested, organized, voted, and even marched for their lives, I am proud to declare the establishment of the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention,” declared President Biden in the White House Rose Garden.
The president was introduced by Rep. Maxwell Frost, who is not only the first member of Congress from Generation Z but also an advocate for further action on guns.
The White House explains that this office will be responsible for implementing the president’s executive orders on gun violence, as well as the 2022 bipartisan Safer Communities Act passed by Congress. This legislation enhances background checks for gun buyers under 21, provides funding for mental health services, and closes the “boyfriend loophole” to prevent convicted domestic abusers from purchasing firearms for five years. While the exact role of the office is unclear, the presence of dedicated staff within the White House is expected to expedite its objectives.
In addition to implementing the Safer Communities Act and executive orders, the office will coordinate increased support for survivors, including mental health care and financial assistance, similar to how FEMA responds to natural disasters.
“Shootings are like super storms that devastate communities,” President Biden acknowledged.
The office will also seek to identify new executive actions to reduce gun violence and expand the administration’s partnerships with state and local organizations.
“To be clear, none of these steps alone will solve the entire gun violence epidemic,” the president emphasized. “However, together, they will save lives.”
President Biden continues to urge Congress to enact universal background checks and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Despite the failure to pass these changes when Democrats controlled both the House and the Senate, he stated, “While we push for Congress to do more, we’re going to centralize, accelerate, and intensify our work to save more lives more quickly. That’s why this new White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention was established.”
He also had a message for current members of Congress and voters: “If members of Congress refuse to act, then we’ll need to elect new members who will act, regardless of their party affiliation.”
Last month, a coalition of gun control groups endorsed President Biden’s reelection campaign.
In many cities across the country, gun violence has surged since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed an increase in fatalities from gun violence, with more victims dying at the scene of shootings before reaching medical facilities.
Despite resistance from Congress, President Biden remains committed to a new assault weapons ban.
During their administration, President Biden and Vice President Harris have visited the sites of mass shootings, including Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images
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