White House unveils half-dozen executive actions on gun control

April 8, 2021

President Biden unveiled a half-dozen executive actions designed to combat gun violence on Thursday.

The orders look to introduce new regulations on “ghost gun” kits that can be assembled at home. They also call on Congress and states to pass red flag laws that can prevent a firearm purchase by someone deemed a threat to themselves or others; increase funding to community violence intervention programs; and introduce an annual report on firearm tracking from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

“Gun violence in this country is an epidemic and it’s an international embarrassment,” said Biden during his remarks in the Rose Garden. He said gun violence is “estimated to cost the nation $280 billion a year” through “hospital bills, physical therapy, trauma counseling, legal fees, prison costs and the loss of productivity.”