March 23, 2021

Biden Calls on Senate to Immediately Pass Gun Reform Laws in Wake of Mass Shootings

Stefani Reynolds/ZUMA

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Biden called on lawmakers in the House and Senate to pass new gun reform measures in brief remarks Tuesday morning following a mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado Monday that claimed 10 lives. The shooting took place a week after a separate shooting in Atlanta killed 8 people.

The president urged immediate action to pass bans on assault weapons and to tighten up background checks—specifically calling on the Senate to take immediate action.  “It should not be a partisan issue; this is an American issue. It will save lives. American lives. And we have to act,” he said.  

Biden also referenced closing “loopholes” in background checks and urged support for the pair of gun reform bills the House approved in early March. Biden said he would avoid speculation about the shooting until he “had all the facts,” but pledged to use all the resources at his disposal to keep the American people safe.

“I don’t need to wait another minute, let alone an hour, to take common sense steps that will save lives in the future and to urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to act,” Biden said. “We can ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines in this country once again. I got that done when I was a senator. It passed. It was law for the longest time, and it brought down these mass killings. And we should do it again.”

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