White House Unveils “Safer States Initiative” to Combat Gun Violence

Summary: Vice President Kamala Harris has announced the Biden administration’s new “Safer States Initiative” at the White House, presenting state legislators with model legislation to address gun violence at the state level. The initiative includes two executive actions from the newly formed White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, focusing on safe storage legislation and the reporting of lost and stolen firearms. As mass shootings continue to be a pressing concern, the administration emphasizes collaboration with states to advance gun violence prevention measures while urging Congress to act on federal policies.

Details:

• Vice President Kamala Harris hosted nearly 100 state legislators at the White House to introduce the “Safer States Initiative,” an effort to combat gun violence at the state level.
• The initiative encourages states to establish their own gun violence prevention offices, invest in community violence intervention programs, support survivors and victims, promote safe storage of firearms, and enact legislation strengthening background checks and banning assault weapons.
• The White House aims to collaborate with states, providing necessary resources for implementing the outlined steps to address gun violence effectively.
• Two executive actions were announced by the Department of Justice as part of the initiative: one providing states with model legislation for safe storage of guns and another offering a model for reporting lost and stolen firearms.
• The administration emphasizes the importance of state-level policy changes in response to inaction from Congress and challenges in the courts regarding gun possession and ownership.
• The initiative comes in the wake of a series of mass shootings, contributing to a total of 636 incidents in the current year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
• While President Joe Biden has signed executive orders, the administration recognizes the need for both federal and state-level legislation to address the complex issue of gun violence.
• The White House invited legislators from every state to participate in the announcement, highlighting the importance of state and local legislation in conjunction with federal efforts.

The Safer States Initiative represents a multifaceted approach to addressing gun violence, combining federal and state-level efforts to enact meaningful change and save lives. The collaboration with state legislators underscores the administration’s commitment to working together to find solutions to this pressing issue.