Joe Biden wants to curb the epidemic of gun violence in the country
Last case, one dead and 5 wounded in a shooting in Texas. Too many deaths from “random” shootings across the country not to activate the administration of Joe Biden and the president himself in the search to stop the killing continues. The president, who repeated over and over “Enough, enough, enough” he said it is time to curb the country’s second epidemic, that of armed violence, a “national shame”.
In the new measures, greater control over the sale of kits to manufacture weapons at home without a serial number. While the strongest project, the one on assault weapons, is still stopped in Congress. “Just pray to the dead, it’s time to act” Biden said he recalled the Atlanta, Georgia massacre of March 16 (eight dead), and the Boulder, Colorado massacre of the 22nd of the same month (10 dead). In the United States there have been 850 shootings, with 250 people died and 500 injured. 40,000 people die in the country every year from firearms. 2020 marked a record of gun-related murders, where there are as many as 400 million weapons in the hands of ordinary citizens.
The president ordered the Justice Department to file a plan to “help stop the rise” of phantom weapons, those “do it yourself” with specific kits, as well as the purchase on the internet. As a second measure, the White House called for a model of legislation called “red flag” to be established for states. The goal is to allow family members or law enforcement to apply for a court order temporarily prohibiting people in crisis from accessing firearms if they pose a danger to themselves or others.
As a third step, Biden asked for a $ 5 billion increase in funding to reduce urban violence. One of the main obstacles to this campaign is the idea that we can violate the Second Amendment of the Constitution, written in 1791, shortly after the war of independence, which allows for assault weapons.
In this baby steps strategy Biden announced his candidate to the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to block the activities of the large arms lobbies as well. He is David Chipman, a veteran and former agent of this organization. But confirmation will be complicated. Since 2006, Upper House approval is required for the appointment of the director of the ATF. In 2011, Barack Obama appointed Byron Todd Jones for the post and was never ratified by the Senate until 2013. Since leaving office in 2015, his two successors were also not confirmed. Biden, however, does not seem not to want to stop against a historical totem of Americans.