(Fwrd Axis) — Amid growing concern about gun violence, President Joe Biden on Monday afternoon will introduce new steps to tackle gun violence in America that will include new firearm regulations to contain the availability of privately made weapons.
Biden’s announcement will focus on so-called “ghost guns” — unregulated and untraceable firearms made from kits at home. The President is also expected to name Steve Dettelbach, a former US attorney from Ohio, to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Back in September, the White House withdrew David Chipman’s nomination after opposition from Republicans in Congress. The nearly seven-month wait has left gun violence advocates furious with the Biden administration for waiting so long to name a new nominee for the post.
“Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress have made clear that they intend to use gun crime as a political talking point instead of taking serious steps to address it,” Biden said at the time.
The news comes amid an uptick in gun violence and gun sales, which has put pressure on the White House to act. The continued school and workplace shootings along with an increase in gun violence will likely see both sides rallying political support to support or oppose the measure with the midterm elections in November.
On Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for the Biden administration to go further in their actions to stop gun violence while placing the blame on Republicans for holding up gun reform legislation.
“Today I am calling on the administration to go all after ghost guns, by putting out regulations that will stop them. The federal government has the ability through regulation to stop these ghost guns,” he said.
Maryland and Washington D.C. joined California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington in banning the purchase or use of ghost guns.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco will join Biden at the event and give remarks, according to Biden’s daily public schedule.
