In a passionate plea for stricter gun control, President Joe Biden marked the one-year anniversary of a milestone federal firearms legislation. He emphasized that while the legislation was an important first step, more aggressive action was needed and urged voters to oppose lawmakers who resisted change.
Biden acknowledged the crowd at a gun safety summit in Connecticut, filled with survivors of gun violence and the families of victims. He commended them for channeling their pain into purpose and pledged to continue advocating for tougher gun laws.
The legislation, signed a few weeks after a tragic incident in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman took the lives of 19 elementary school children and two teachers, strengthened background checks for young gun buyers, prevented access to firearms for domestic violence offenders, and facilitated the implementation of red flag laws. Biden highlighted the positive impacts the law has had so far, including blocking over 200 transactions by buyers under 21, increasing prosecutions of unlicensed gun sellers, and charging new gun trafficking penalties in more than 100 cases nationwide.
Biden also emphasized the provisions in the law that allocated additional funding for mental health services and safety measures, as well as the enhanced background checks for buyers under 21. He renewed his call for universal background checks and the banning of assault weapons.
Not long ago, such proposals would have been unimaginable for Democrats. However, they now form part of Biden’s 2024 political platform. The gun safety summit in Connecticut, organized by U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and major gun safety groups, aimed to build on recent progress in this area.
Despite the positive strides made with the 2022 legislation, the number of mass shootings in the United States has continued to increase. This year alone, there have already been 26 mass killings, resulting in at least 131 deaths, excluding the perpetrators. To address this alarming trend, Biden seeks to ban assault weapons, which has made some Republicans uneasy.
Officials in Connecticut criticized the administration for what they perceive as an erosion of the rights of law-abiding residents. However, the law has also channeled millions of dollars into mental health services, particularly for children and schools. In order to support students affected by gun violence, the departments of Health and Human Services and Education offered resources to governors.
The passing of the legislation was described as a watershed moment by John Feinblatt, head of Everytown for Gun Safety. However, the stark reality remains that the country is on pace for more mass killings this year than any other year since 2006. Additionally, firearms are the leading cause of death for children in the U.S., with alarming mortality rates compared to other countries.
Nelba Marquez-Greene, whose daughter was a victim of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, emphasized the moral obligation to end gun violence and urged the importance of survivor care in addressing the lasting trauma.
After delivering his speech in West Hartford, Biden attended a fundraiser in Greenwich and will continue his campaign travel with stops in New York, California, Illinois, and Maryland.
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