Topline
President Joe Biden called on Congress to either ban assault weapons altogether or increase the minimum age to buy one, in a Thursday evening speech following a string of deadly mass shootings in Texas, New York and Oklahoma—but it’s unclear whether any of the sweeping gun control measures backed by Biden will make it through the Senate.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on recent mass shootings from the White House on Thursday.
Key Facts
Biden said the U.S. should reinstate the federal assault weapons ban that was in place from 1994 to 2004—and if that proves impossible, the minimum age to buy an assault weapon should go from 18 to 21, bringing it in line with the minimum age to buy a handgun.
Biden said he supports a ban on high-capacity magazines, drawing attention to the 30-round magazines used by a gunman who killed 19 children and two teachers last week in a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school.
The president also pushed for “stronger” firearm background check rules and a federal red flag law, which would allow courts to temporarily seize guns from people thought to be dangerous to themselves or others.
Congress could also pass safe storage laws to make gun owners liable if their weapons were stored insecurely and then used in a shooting, Biden said.
Biden suggested repealing a liability shield that largely protects gunmakers and dealers from civil lawsuits if their firearms are used to commit crimes.
Crucial Quote
“How much more carnage are we willing to accept?” Biden asked.
Key Background
Biden’s remarks followed a spate of high-profile shootings across the United States in recent weeks. A gunman in Buffalo whom police say was motivated by racism killed 10 people in a supermarket last month, Texas faced the deadliest U.S. school shooting in nearly a decade last week, and a gunman in Oklahoma killed four people in a medical building on Wednesday. The country has tallied over 200 other mass shootings with at least four injuries or deaths so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, following a two-year increase in the number of shootings nationwide. Attempts to tighten federal gun laws have repeatedly stalled in the past, but Biden urged Congress to redouble its efforts in light of the latest string of mass shootings, and predicted voters could hold lawmakers accountable if this push is unsuccessful: “We can’t fail the American people again,” he said.
What To Watch For
Senators from both parties are already negotiating on red flag laws and other potential gun legislation, but for any measure to pass the Senate, it will need to earn support from 10 Republicans, a major hurdle that will likely force Democrats to trim their ambitions. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), one of the negotiators, told CNN he’s “certainly prepared for failure” on Thursday.
Further Reading
“President Biden Says Gun Control Is On Congress: ‘I Can’t Dictate This Stuff’” (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharysmith/2022/06/02/biden-urges-congress-to-ban-assault-weapons-we-cant-fail-the-american-people-again/