President Joe Biden is not holding back on his call for stricter gun control, and he’s hitting some serious notes on what he believes the country needs immediately: a nationwide assault weapons ban.
He took to Twitter to drive home his stance, saying America needs to reinstate the ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, while also pushing for universal background checks and ending immunity for gun manufacturers.
This isn’t new territory for Biden, though. As one of the architects behind the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, he’s been advocating for a return to those restrictions, which expired in 2004. According to Biden, the rise in mass shootings and the escalating gun violence in the U.S. can’t be ignored any longer. He’s made it clear that thoughts and prayers aren’t cutting it anymore—action is needed.
Supporters of the ban argue that it could curb the number of mass shootings and reduce the availability of firearms designed for military combat.
On the flip side, critics of Biden’s proposal argue it infringes on Second Amendment rights and question its effectiveness, pointing to issues with enforcing such bans.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who also supports a federal gun ban said, “Vice President Harris: It is outrageous that every day in our country, parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come home alive. It’s senseless. We have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all. It doesn’t have to be this way.”
With gun control remaining one of the most divisive issues in the country, Biden’s call for immediate action is sure to spark a renewed national debate.
Whether Congress will take up his challenge, especially in an election year, remains to be seen, but this tweet makes it clear that Biden’s administration is ready to fight for sweeping reforms.
