In a significant move, President Biden is set to announce the establishment of a groundbreaking federal office dedicated to preventing gun violence, marking a noteworthy victory for advocates of stricter gun control measures.
Reports from multiple sources confirm this development.
Heading this critical initiative is Stefanie Feldman, a seasoned Biden aide with extensive knowledge in firearms-related matters. Feldman, who previously served on the Domestic Policy Council, now oversees the White House's gun policy portfolio.
This endeavor is undertaken in collaboration with representatives from prominent gun control organizations, such as Greg Jackson, the executive director of the Community Justice Action Fund, and Rob Wilcox, the senior director for federal government affairs at Everytown for Gun Safety.
As of now, neither the White House, the Community Justice Action Fund, nor Everytown for Gun Safety has provided immediate comments on this announcement.
Since President Biden assumed office, various gun control advocacy groups have been actively pressing for executive actions to address the pressing issue of gun violence.
Among their demands was the establishment of a federal office dedicated to gun violence prevention, the allocation of a $5 billion fund for community violence intervention programs, stricter enforcement of the ban on foreign-made weapons, enhanced Federal Trade Commission regulations on firearm marketing, comprehensive gun safety education campaigns, and a detailed plan for implementing the Safer Communities Act, which was passed last year.
In their plea to President Biden, these groups emphasized the ongoing toll of gun-related deaths and injuries across the United States, affecting communities of diverse backgrounds. They called on the president to take bold action during his State of the Union address on February 7, 2023.
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a landmark piece of gun control legislation signed into law by President Biden, marked the most substantial development in this area in nearly three decades.
It incentivised states to adopt red flag laws and expand background checks for individuals aged 18 to 21. The law's passage was prompted by tragic mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, in 2022.
Despite this legislative progress, Congress has shown no indications of further advancing gun control measures endorsed by President Biden.
The creation of a dedicated federal office for gun violence prevention serves a twofold purpose: it highlights the president's commitment to addressing the issue in contrast to the Republican-controlled House, and it resonates with a key constituency as President Biden gears up for his 2024 re-election campaign.
In another news, a police officer has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting of an unarmed black man in south London last year, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced. See detailed story here
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