With the release of a new report describing the law’s implementation, the White House commemorated the two-year anniversary of President Joe Biden signing what is regarded as the most important gun safety legislation in decades.
About 800 sales of weapons to individuals under the age of 21 have been halted, according to a White House report on the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that The Associated Press was able to get. This is a 25% increase in rejections. According to the research, six of the most deadly mass shootings that have occurred since 2018 included individuals under the age of 21.
“The number of denials of attempted purchases has increased by 25%, and we believe that each and every one of those denials has stopped a mass shooting, a single harm, or possibly even harm to the youths in question,” according to Gregory Jackson, deputy director of the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which Biden established in 2023.
Additionally, the report states that over 500 persons have been charged with offenses related to gun trafficking and firearm straw purchases since Congress enacted and Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act on June 25, 2022. For the first time, the statute made such activities unlawful.
Jackson emphasized the administration’s attention on funding the issue as well as trying to enact specific legislation to crack down on weapons in an interview with Spectrum News on Tuesday. “It’s not just about rules; it’s about investing in life-saving techniques,” he added. “Those significant investments from the American Rescue Plan and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act are directly responsible for the progress we’ve seen over the last few years.”
In addition to establishing the nation’s first White House office dedicated to preventing gun violence, Biden also released regulations requiring tens of thousands of gun sellers to do background checks on customers at gun fairs and other events held outside of traditional brick-and-mortar stores. He has also advocated for safer gun storage practices.
The Democratic president considered this implementation to be his crowning achievement, and the details of it become clearer as he runs for reelection in November. Though he has advocated for an assault weapon prohibition, Biden is also eager to point out that the measure didn’t go far enough and is still pushing for tougher background checks.