Old Uncle Joe took time this past Tuesday to pen and autograph a new executive order which seems to be aimed at what he says is keeping firearms out of “dangerous hands” by heavily expanding all background checks prior to gun sales and increasing the use of what is known as red flag laws.
Biden was slated to announce new steps to try and tone down gun violence during an appearance in Monterey Park, California, where he was expected to have meetings with the families most impacted by the mass shooting which took the lives of 11 and injured nine others back in January at a Lunar New Year party.
Officials with the White House have issued a summary of the new order by stating that the move would end up pushing the U.S. much close to their desired end of universal background checks without additional legislation, hold “accountable” the gun industry, and drive agents of law enforcement to identify and apprehend shooters.
Earlier this month, Biden claimed that he would take strides to issue a ban against so-called assault weapons and all high-capacity magazines “come hell or high water,” stated a report from Fox News.
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, stated earlier this week that Biden “believes we need to do more” to crack down on all gun violence.
“Too many lives have been taken by gun violence,” stated Jean-Pierre. “You’ll hear him call on Congress to take action and not to stop … that we need to continue.”
This announcement from Biden takes place after last year when he signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, where he called on the members of Congress to take additional steps to cut gun violence. Lawmakers pushed through the legislation in an effort to stop mass shootings and to incentivize states to push through more laws of the “red flag” variety while expanding all background checks for 18 to 21-year-olds seeking to buy a gun.
“Again and again, he has called for Congress to act, including by banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, requiring background checks for all gun sales, requiring safe storage of firearms, closing the dating violence restraining order loophole, and repealing gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability,” explained the statement.
Biden has also attempted to call on the Federal Trade Commission to create and send out public reports which analyze how gunmakers sell firearms to minors.
This new order issues orders to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to develop and implement a plant to stop former federal firearm dealers, who have had their licenses either surrendered or revoked, from further taking part in fire arms dealing.