President Biden is set to announce on Thursday several executive actions to address gun violence, including requiring buyers of "ghost guns" to undergo background checks, several people familiar with the matter told Politico.
Ghost guns are homemade or makeshift weapons that do not have serial numbers. Politico reports that it's unclear what additional executive actions might be taken, but gun control advocates who have spoken with White House officials have theorized Biden could announce a ban on firearm purchases for people convicted of domestic violence against their partners and regulations on concealed assault-style firearms. The White House has said it's up to lawmakers to come up with legislation to expand background checks and close loopholes.
Biden is also expected to reveal that he will nominate David Chipman as director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, a person familiar with the matter told Politico. Chipman is a former ATF agent who serves as a senior policy advisor at Giffords, a gun control organization founded by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) after she was shot in 2011.
In 2020, at least 19,223 Americans died due to gun violence, up nearly 25 percent from 2019. A senior Biden administration official told Politico the White House has been "working hard from day one to pursue actions to reduce gun violence. We understand the urgency. No one understands the urgency more than the president and we are looking forward to rolling out some of the initial actions we can take."