United States President Joe Biden unveiled that the White House would create a new office for gun violence prevention led by Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Democratic president said that creating the new office is part of his administration's efforts and "will save lives." The new office is designed to find a way around congressional inaction on stronger gun control laws. As Biden announced in the unveiling of the new office, he expressed his gratitude to the affected family members who found "purpose in your pain."
New White House Office for Gun Violence Prevention
In a statement, the president said that the creation of the new office for gun violence prevention was because of the people who demanded the country's government do better to protect everyone. He said the people who protested, organized, voted, ran for office, and marched for their lives contributed to the development.
The first Gen Z member of Congress, Rep. Maxwell Frost, who is also an advocate of further action on guns, was the one who introduced President Biden on Friday. According to CBS News, the White House also noted that the new office will implement the president's executive orders on gun violence.
The most recent gun legislation that Congress passed is the 2022 bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which works to enhance background checks for gun buyers under the age of 21 years. It also provides funding for mental health services and closes the so-called "boyfriend loophole" to prevent convicted domestic abusers from purchasing a firearm for five years.
However, it is not yet clear what the new office's exact role would be, but officials said that having dedicated staff within the White House will help expedite its objectives. On top of implementing the bipartisan Safer Communities Act and Biden's executive orders, the new office will coordinate more support for survivors, including mental health care and financial assistance.
Additionally, it would try to identify new executive actions meant to reduce gun violence and expand the Biden administration's partnerships with state and local organizations. The president said that none of the steps alone will be able to solve the entire issue of the gun violence epidemic.
Addressing the National Issue
During his remarks, Biden detailed his experience traveling to the sites of mass shootings across the United States, including the Sandy Hook incident in 2012 when he was still vice president. He noted that these kinds of engagements have a permanent effect on young children, according to CNN.
Biden's announcement of the new office comes only a few days after a group of congressional Democrats sent a letter to the president calling on him to leverage "the full power of the executive branch" to address gun violence nationwide.
The president said that after every mass shooting, he hears the same thing: the plea to "do something." He said that his administration has been working relentlessly to do something to address the rising number of gun violence cases in the US, said Fox News.
