The president said last week during a trip to Buffalo, New York, after a mass shooting at a grocery store there, that “there wasn’t much executive action” he could do to further tighten control measures. ‘weapons. He said he had to “convince Congress” to pass laws such as the 1994 ban on assault weapons.
“Will there be more executive action and will we do more? We will study it. We are always looking to do more,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Thursday. “But right now we need the help of Congress. We need them to intervene.”
Armed violence prevention organizations such as Everytown for Gun Safety and Brady have praised the many executive actions the president has taken on guns since taking office, such as curbing the use of so-called ghost weapons and strengthening community violence intervention programs.
But there are several other actions they say they would like the president to take:
Clarification from the Department of Justice
Federal law requires that anyone who “deals with the business” of negotiating firearms obtain a federal firearms license and conduct background checks on potential firearms buyers. One option Biden has is to direct the Justice Department to clarify that those “engaged in business” also include people who sell guns at gun shows or online markets to close gaps.
“Just as we don’t have an airport line for people who want to be controlled and another for those who prefer to skip it, we can’t allow people who sell multiple weapons for profit to continue selling guns. John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, told CNN.
New White House office and weapons coordinator
Several groups, including the Brady Armed Violence Prevention Organization, have advocated the creation of an Armed Violence Prevention Office in the White House and the appointment of a coordinator in the Justice Department to oversee all efforts to the administration to curb armed violence.
“Many of the executive and executive actions of this administration have required the DOJ to focus on the impact of armed violence in America. There should be a coordinator within the DOJ who will focus exclusively on working to end the armed violence, “Brady’s vice president of politics, Christian Heyne, told CNN.
Make more data public
Heyne said he would like the Biden administration to issue a language that made it clear that gun trace data needs to be made public to better understand how to stop the flow of illegal weapons. He said the “harmful interpretations” of the 2003 Tiahrt amendment restrict the public’s ability to obtain information about trace data. Due to the restrictions of the amendment, the ATF is unable to publish detailed tracking data.
“It’s a basic responsibility issue,” Josh Horwitz, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, told CNN.
Enforcement of existing “red flag” laws
Horwitz said the Biden administration could also prioritize funding to support the enforcement of extreme risk protection orders, which are also known as “red flag” laws. The orders allow the temporary withdrawal of weapons from people who consider themselves at high risk of harming themselves or others. He noted that the effectiveness of orders to prevent acts of violence depends entirely on enforcement and compliance.
Action Biden has already taken up arms
Since its inauguration, the White House has introduced several packages of executive action to curb so-called ghost weapons, promote the safe storage of firearms, strengthen police forces and expand violence intervention programs. community:
Ghost guns
Biden announced a new regulation to contain the use of so-called ghost weapons, which are self-assembled firearms that have no serial numbers and are difficult to trace and regulate. Ghost weapon kits can be purchased online and the weapon can be assembled in as little as 30 minutes.
The rules require that anyone purchasing a kit undergo a background check and require those who sell the kits to mark the components with a serial number. It also forces gun dealers to add a serial number to ghost weapons that have already been assembled.
Ghost weapons make up a relatively small part of the weapons recovered by law enforcement, but officials say guns have become more common in crime scenes in recent years.
Encourage safe storage of firearms
Last year, Biden unveiled a new military and veteran suicide prevention strategy that includes promoting the safe storage of firearms and describing best practices for firearms distributors.
The plan includes a federal approach to improving the safety of lethal means, which is a voluntary practice to reduce the risk of suicide by limiting access to objects that can be used to cause self-harm, including drugs, firearms, or sharp instruments.
The president ordered the Justice Department to announce a new rule that clarifies the obligations of gun dealers to have safe storage of weapons or security devices available for purchase. Biden also ordered the Office of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to issue a best practice guide to all federal firearms distributors to remind them of the steps they must legally take to maintain safe communities.
Other actions of the Department of Justice
Last summer, the Justice Department launched an anti-trafficking initiative focused on Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, the San Francisco Bay Area and Washington, DC, which are known corridors in which illegal weapons are being trafficked and used in deadly shootings and other crimes. The goal of the strike forces is to better coordinate law enforcement agencies across jurisdictions to disrupt traffic networks.
The Justice Department proposed clarifying restrictions on stabilizer straps that turn a gun into a short-barreled rifle. Short-range improvised rifles were used in two mass shootings in Boulder, Colorado, and Dayton, Ohio.
Biden ordered the Justice Department to issue “red flag” model laws for states that allow the temporary removal of weapons from people who are considered at high risk of harming themselves or others.
Strengthen police and community violence intervention programs
The $ 1.9 trillion Covid Relief Act, or the U.S. Rescue Plan, earmarked $ 350 billion for states, local governments, territories, and tribes. The administration says funding is available for law enforcement as well as to expand community violence intervention programs.
The White House in July also established the White House Community Intervention Collaboration, which is a group that includes mayors, law enforcement, and community violence intervention experts. The group says it is examining how to make better use of funding from the U.S. Rescue Plan and other public funds to increase investment in “community violence response infrastructure.”
Nominated ATF
Several groups have praised the appointment of President Steve Dettelbach, a former federal prosecutor, to head the Office of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. If confirmed by the Senate, Dettelbach would be the country’s main arms regulator.
During a confirmation hearing in the Senate on Wednesday, the day after the shooting at Uvalde Elementary School, Dettelbach promised lawmakers that he would not be influenced by political considerations if the job was secured.
The president argues that Dettelbach’s confirmation by the Senate to the ATF is key to enforcing gun laws and curbing gun crime. The ATF has operated under a number of acting directors since its last Senate-confirmed leader resigned in 2015, and the Senate last confirmed an ATF candidate in 2013.