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Joe Biden Announces Gun Reform Plan To Tackle 'International Embarrassment'

Joe Biden Announces Gun Reform Plan To Tackle 'International Embarrassment'

“Enough prayers; time for some action.”

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Joe Biden has announced a new gun reform plan to tackle the 'national embarrassment' that is America's mass shooting issue.

The US President labelled the problem an 'epidemic' and has revealed the measures he is able to introduce at a federal level.

It comes after two deadly mass shootings in Georgia and Colorado, with another in Texas unfolding on the same day as the announcement.

PA

"Our flag was still flying at half staff for the victims of the horrific murder of eight primarily Asian American people in Georgia, when 10 more lives were taken at a mass murder in Colorado," Biden said.

"Gun violence in this country is an epidemic and an international embarrassment.

"This is an epidemic, for God's sake, and it has to stop [...] The idea that we have so many people dying from gun violence each day is a blemish on the character of our nation."

Biden is limited in what he's able to do at the Presidential level with executive orders, but he has outlined four measures to get the ball rolling on gun reform.

He wants the US Justice Department to ban ghost guns, which are weapons without serial numbers that can be assembled from kits and are hard to track.

Biden wants red-flag legislation that will help law enforcement officers or family members get a court to stop someone from buying or accessing guns if they have welfare concerns about that person.

Once that is brought in at the federal level, states will be able to pass their own versions of the law.

PA

The US President is also seeking to get pistol braces covered by regulations in the National Firearms Act and will need to be registered in the future. This comes after the Colorado mass shooter apparently used an arm brace with his pistol to help with weapon accuracy.

The final part of his gun reform plan is to get the US Justice Department to create a comprehensive report on gun trafficking.

While this is a massive step in the mission to end gun violence, Joe Biden admitted it's up to Congress to do much bigger things like ban assault weapons and ammunition, introduce a mandate for universal background checks for firearm purchases and getting rid of legal immunity for gun manufacturers.

He said in his address: "There's much more that Congress can do to help that effort, and they can do it right now.

"They've offered plenty of thoughts and prayers, members of Congress. But they've passed not a single new federal law to reduce gun violence.

"Enough prayers; time for some action."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: joe biden, News, US News