Biden calls for Congress to act on gun violence: 'Enough prayers. Time for some action.'


President Biden on Thursday unveiled new planned executive actions to address gun violence in the United States, describing this "epidemic" as a "blemish on our character as a nation."
Biden while speaking in the Rose Garden discussed numerous "immediate, concrete actions" he's taking to address gun violence, while also urging additional action from Congress.
"Gun violence in this country is an epidemic, and it's an international embarrassment," Biden said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The president said his administration will seek to "reign in the proliferation" of "ghost guns," homemade guns without serial numbers. The Justice Department will also produce a new annual report on firearms trafficking, and the administration will move to further regulate weapons with stabilizing braces, Biden said. The DOJ will additionally publish model "red flag" legislation to flag family members who shouldn't be allowed to purchase firearms, per NBC News.
Outside of these executive actions, Biden also called for "much more" action from Congress, including banning assault weapons and eliminating immunity for gun manufacturers, and he described the latter step as a top priority.
"They've offered plenty of thoughts and prayers, members of Congress," Biden said. "But they've passed not a single new federal law to reduce gun violence. Enough prayers. Time for some action."
The president argued against the notion that these actions infringe on the Second Amendment, saying "no amendment to the Constitution is absolute." He concluded his remarks by saying that "the idea that we have so many people dying every single day from gun violence in America is a blemish on our character as a nation."
House Democrats' background check bill that Biden called for the Senate to pass, Politico's Burgess Everett noted, "as of now doesn't have 50 votes," while Punchbowl News' Anna Palmer added that it's "hard to see an assault weapon ban making it through the House." Brendan Morrow
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Sodium batteries could make electric flight viable
Under the Radar Low-cost fuel cell has higher energy density and produces chemical by-product that could absorb CO2 from the atmosphere
-
Flying into danger
Feature America's air traffic control system is in crisis. Can it be fixed?
-
Pocket change: The demise of the penny
Feature The penny is being phased out as the Treasury plans to halt production by 2026
-
Assailant burns Jewish pedestrians in Boulder
speed read Eight people from the Jewish group were hospitalized after a man threw Molotov cocktails in a 'targeted act of violence'
-
Driver rams van into crowd at Liverpool FC parade
speed read 27 people were hospitalized following the attack
-
2 Israel Embassy staff shot dead at DC Jewish museum
speed read The suspected gunman chanted 'free, free Palestine'
-
Bombing of fertility clinic blamed on 'antinatalist'
speed read A car bombing injured four people and damaged a fertility clinic and nearby buildings in Palm Springs, California
-
Suspect charged after 11 die in Vancouver car attack
Speed Read Kai-Ji Adam Lo drove an SUV into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival
-
Kenya arrests alleged ant smugglers
speed read Two young Belgians have been charged for attempting to smuggle ants out of the country to exotic pet buyers
-
Judge ends Eric Adams case, Trump leverage
Speed Read Federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams were dismissed, as requested by Trump's Justice Department
-
Texas arrests midwife on felony abortion charges
Speed Read Maria Margarita Rojas and an employee at one of her clinics are the first to be criminally charged under Texas' near-total abortion ban