President Joe Biden announced a series of executive actions aimed at addressing the issue of gun violence in America . The measures include ...
President Joe Biden announced a series of executive actions aimed at addressing the issue of gun violence in America. The measures include steps to reduce the proliferation of “ghost guns,” which are untraceable firearms, as well as the implementation of red flag laws, which allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed to be a danger to themselves or others.
The executive order is the first major action taken by the Biden administration on gun control since taking office earlier this year. The measures are in response to a spate of mass shootings that have rocked the country in recent years, including the killing of eight people at massage parlors in Atlanta, Georgia, in March 2021, and the killing of ten people at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, in the same month.
One of the key provisions of the executive order is the regulation of so-called “ghost guns,” which are homemade firearms that lack serial numbers and can be assembled from parts purchased online. According to the White House, the number of ghost guns seized by law enforcement has increased by more than 300% over the past five years.
Under the new rules, the Justice Department will be required to issue a proposed rule within 30 days that would clarify when a partially-assembled gun kit is considered a firearm and therefore subject to regulation under the Gun Control Act. The proposed rule would also require that anyone who sells, manufactures, or transfers a ghost gun must obtain a serial number and conduct a background check.
The Biden administration is also calling on Congress to pass a new law that would require background checks for all gun sales, including those conducted online and at gun shows. The White House argues that this would close the so-called “gun show loophole” and prevent individuals who are prohibited from owning firearms from obtaining them through private sales.
The administration also wants to see the implementation of “red flag” laws, which allow courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who are deemed to be a danger to themselves or others. The executive order directs the Justice Department to publish model legislation for states to adopt, and the administration is calling on Congress to pass a federal red flag law.
The Biden administration’s executive actions are likely to face legal challenges from gun rights advocates, and it remains to be seen whether Congress will take action on the president’s call for new gun control legislation. However, the executive order represents an important step towards addressing the problem of gun violence in America.
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