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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 15 March 2023

Biden issues order to strengthen gun background checks

By ZEKE MILLER and the president is asking the
COLLEEN LONG Federal Trade Commission
Associated Press to issue a public report an-
MONTEREY PARK, Calif. alyzing how gun manufac-
(AP) — President Joe Biden turers market to minors and
signed an executive or- use military images to mar-
der on Tuesday aiming at ket to the general public.
increasing background “President Biden’s execu-
checks to buy guns, pro- tive order today is a home
moting more secure fire- run for public safety,” said
arms storage and ensur- John Feinblatt, president of
ing U.S. law enforcement Everytown for Gun Safety.
agencies get more out of “This is the latest example
a bipartisan gun control of President Biden’s lead-
law enacted last summer. ership on gun safety, and
The Democratic president we’re proud to stand with
was to address his latest ef- him as he takes robust ac-
forts to curb gun violence tion to help close the gun-
in a speech in this sub- seller loophole which will
urban Los Angeles com- significantly expand back-
munity, where a gunman ground checks on gun
stormed a dance hall and President Joe Biden shakes hands with Brandon Tsay as he arrives at Los Angeles International sales, keep weapons out
shot 20 people, killing 11, Airport, Tuesday, March 14, 2023, in Los Angeles. of the hands of dangerous
following a Lunar New Year Associated Press people and save lives.”q
celebration in January. He
was also meeting with fam- policy. Rather, it directs
ilies of victims and with first federal agencies to ensure
responders from that day. compliance with existing
Biden’s rhetoric has grown laws and procedures a
ever stronger about guns typical feature of execu-
he routinely calls for ban- tive orders issued by presi-
ning assault weapons in dents when they confront
pushing a vocal gun-con- the limits of their own pow-
trol platform even tougher er to act without coopera-
than during the Obama tion from Congress.
administration when he Biden, in the order, ac-
was vice president. He has knowledged Congress’
been emboldened by the opposition, but said, “In
midterm electiions when the meantime, my admin-
his regular talk of gun con- istration will continue to do
trol didn’t result in massive all that we can, within exist-
losses, and he’s expected ing authority, to make our
to continue to argue for communities safer.”
strong changes as he inch- The order directs the Cabi-
es toward a 2024 reelec- net to work on a plan to
tion run, his aides say. better structure the gov-
Biden was greeted at the ernment to support com-
Los Angeles airport Tues- munities suffering from gun
day by Brandon Tsay, the violence.
26-year-old who wrestled The plan calls on Attor-
the semiautomatic pistol ney General Merrick Gar-
away from the gunman land to shore up the rules
in Monterey Park. The two for federally licensed gun
shook hands; Biden had dealers so they know they
invited Tsay to his State of are required to do back-
the Union address in Janu- ground checks as part of
ary where he praised the the license.
young man’s heroism. Biden is also mandating
But the president has only better reporting of ballis-
limited power on guns to tics data from federal law
go beyond bipartisan leg- enforcement for a clear-
islation passed by Con- inghouse that allows fed-
gress last summer after eral, state and local law
the killings last year of 10 enforcement to match
shoppers at a Buffalo, New shell casings to guns. But
York, grocery store and 19 local and state law en-
students and two teach- forcement agencies are
ers at a Uvalde, Texas, el- not required to report bal-
ementary school. listics data, and many do
Tuesday’s action does not not, making the clearing-
change U.S. government house less effective. And