Staff Reports
President Joe Biden marked the somber 25th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting with a resolute call to Congress, urging them once again to pass new gun control laws. Despite having signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law back in 2022, the president expressed his belief that it fell short of adequately addressing his comprehensive gun control agenda, which includes nationally mandated background checks and a ban on assault weapons. Since then, President Biden has remained steadfast in his appeals to Congress, pressing for decisive action to realize his vision for stricter gun regulations.
Biden reiterates call for assault weapons ban on 25th anniversary of Columbine https://t.co/AADK0JzAQr https://t.co/AADK0JzAQr
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 20, 2024
In a heartfelt statement, President Biden, alongside First Lady Jill Biden, conveyed their ongoing prayers for the survivors and families impacted by the tragic event, as well as for a community forever altered by its aftermath. Stressing the urgent need for stricter gun laws, Biden pointed to the sobering statistic that in the 25 years since Columbine, there have been over 400 school shootings in the United States, affecting more than 370,000 students.
The president underscored the significance of both the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and his executive actions, labeling them as the most substantial expansion of federal gun regulations since 1993. However, he implored Congress to go further by enacting additional measures, including universal background checks, a national red flag law, and a prohibition on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Biden emphasized the imperative for Congress to take concrete steps to stem the tide of what he referred to as the "epidemic of gun violence," preventing further communities from enduring its devastating impact.
