[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] "It is wrong that an 18-year-old boy can buy a lethal weapon designed for war. It goes against common sense."
U.S. President Joe Biden urged gun control on the 25th (local time) regarding the Texas elementary school shooting, saying, "Common-sense gun regulations may not prevent all tragedies, but they will have a significant impact."
According to CNN, President Biden attended an executive order signing ceremony at the White House on the afternoon of the 2nd anniversary of the George Floyd incident and said, "There is virtually no negative impact of gun control on the Second Amendment." He explained, "When it was passed, you couldn't own cannons. You couldn't own certain types of weapons," adding, "There have always been limits."
The day before, at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, 19 children and 2 teachers lost their lives to the gunfire of 18-year-old shooter Salbador Ramos. President Biden raised his voice about the fact that the 18-year-old shooter was able to purchase a firearm, saying, "It is wrong. It goes against common sense," and added, "These things keep happening repeatedly. We need to answer when we will finally do what we must (gun control)."
He also criticized political lobbying groups such as the National Rifle Association (NRA) that block gun control legislation, asking, "Where is the courage to stand up against powerful lobbying?" Furthermore, he urged the Senate to confirm the nominee for the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), saying, "It is time to act." The ATF director position has been vacant for seven years.
President Biden plans to visit Texas soon with First Lady Jill Biden. He said, "We will visit to comfort the families and communities in shock, grief, and trauma," adding, "As a nation, I believe we all must do what we can for them."
Gun control is a campaign promise of President Biden. He has repeatedly stated his gun control policies in official settings, calling gun violence a pandemic and an international embarrassment. This shooting occurred just ten days after the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, which had not yet faded from public shock, and is said to have plunged the entire U.S. into shock.
Although calls for gun control are rising again in the U.S. due to this incident, prospects for related legislation passing the Senate remain slim. The Republican Party opposes gun control citing the Second Amendment and other reasons. Currently, two gun control bills are pending in the Senate, focusing on extending the waiting period for background checks to at least 10 days when selling weapons and mandating background checks for all gun transactions.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of the Democratic Party said, "It is unacceptable for the American people that there are not even 10 Republican colleagues willing to cooperate on legislation to stop gun violence spreading like a pandemic," adding, "If bipartisan legislation fails, we will pursue our own legislation." The U.S. Senate is evenly split 50-50 between Democrats (including independents leaning Democratic) and Republicans.
AP News referred to a past incident in December 2012 at an elementary school in Connecticut where 10 children and 6 adults were killed, noting that even then, legislation to strengthen background checks was not passed, and most efforts to strengthen gun control over the past decade have failed.
Meanwhile, the executive order signed by President Biden on this day contains detailed provisions regarding law enforcement following the death of Black man George Floyd two years ago due to police excessive force. Going forward, federal law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Justice, will prohibit chokeholds during arrests and restrict warrant executions without prior notice. Additionally, the Department of Justice will establish a national database on police misconduct.
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