Joe Biden is considering a number of executive actions to address gun violence in addition to legislative proposals, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters on Tuesday.
“We are certainly considering a range of levers,” Psaki said aboard Air Force One as Biden flew to Columbus, Ohio, without offering specifics.
Executive actions that Biden could take right away include eliminating the market for ghost guns, strengthening background checks and giving money to city centers to fight gun violence, said Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, which pushes for stronger gun laws.
Ghost guns are homemade weapons from parts or kits that include an unfinished piece. They do not carry serial numbers and can be sold without a background check.
“And all of that can and should happen today,” Watts told Reuters.
Psaki warned reporters not to expect any new actions immediately. “I would not expect a new proposal put forward in under 24 hours,” she said.
Here’s a transcript of Biden calling for a ban on so called “assault weapons:”
“I want to be very clear, this is the one thing the I do know enough to say on in terms of what’s happened there. While we’re still waiting for more information regarding the shooter, his motive, the weapons he used, the guns, the magazines, the weapons, the modifications that apparently have taken place to those weapons that are involved here, I don’t need to wait another minute, let alone an hour to take common sense steps that will save lives in the future and to urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to act. We can ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines in this country once again.
I got that done when I was a senator. It passed. It was the law for the longest time, and it brought down these mass killings. We should do it again. We can close the loopholes on our background check system including the Charleston loophole. That’s one of the best tools we have right now to prevent gun violence. The Senate should immediately pass — let me say it again, the United States Senate, I hope some are listening, should immediately pass the two House-passed bills that close loop hoes in the background check system.
These are bills that received votes of both Republicans and Democrats in the House. This is not and should not be a partisan issue. This is an American issue. It will save lives, American lives.
And we have to act. We should also ban assault weapons in the process. I’ll have much more to say as we learn more, but I wanted to be clear. Those poor folks who died left behind families. It leaves a big hole in their hearts. And — and we can save lives, increasing the background checks like it supposed to occur and eliminate assault weapons and the size of magazines.
We don’t know all the details yet on that, but I’ll be talking to you more later today or in the next couple days about what else we know.”
Finally…
Post a Comment