President Joe Biden urges Congress to ban assault weapons|The White House|CC BY 3.0 US
“How much more carnage are we willing to accept?” asked President Joe Biden in a prime-time address to the nation last night. Laying out his gun control agenda, he called on Congress to reinstate the assault weapons ban.
Passing gun legislation has been gaining momentum in the country following the massacres last month in Buffalo, NY, and Uvalde.
Wednesday night saw a shooting at Tulsa, Oklahoma medical building. The country witnessed yet another shooting Thursday at a Wisconsin cemetery that injured two. Moments after President Biden’s address, there were reports of another shooting outside an Iowa church. The gunman killed two females and then apparently shot himself.
Biden’s recommendations:
In his address, Biden called for expansions on background checks and red-flag laws. His other recommendations include:
-
Protecting Our Kids Act: Raising the age limit to purchase semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21. The Act would also make it a federal offense to import, make or own large-capacity magazines.
-
Strengthened background checks.
-
Repeal immunity for gun manufacturers.
-
Enact safe storage laws.
In his address, the President also noted that the Constitution gives only Congress the power to change the laws.
