THAN 250 PEOPLE.
AND LEFT 500 INJURED.
THIS IS AN EPIDEMIC AND IT HAS
TO STOP.
SO I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT TWO
THINGS.
FIRST, THE STEPS WE ARE GOING TO
TAKE IMMEDIATELY.
AND SECOND, THE ACTION THAT
NEEDS TO BE TAKEN GOING FORWARD
TO CURB THE EPIDEMIC OF GUN
VIOLENCE.
I ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND
HIS TEAM TO IDENTIFY FOR ME
IMMEDIATE CONCRETE ACTIONS I
COULD TAKE NOW WITHOUT HAVING TO
GO THROUGH THE CONGRESS.
AND TODAY I’M ANNOUNCING SEVERAL
INITIAL STEPS MY ADMINISTRATION
IS TAKING TO CURB THIS EPIDEMIC
OF GUN VIOLENCE.
MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE.
BUT FIRST WE WANT TO REIN THE
PROLIFERATION OF GHOST GUNS.
THESE ARE HOMEMADE, BUILT FROM A
KIT AND INCLUDE DIRECTIONS HOW
TO FINISH A FIREARM.
YOU CAN GO BUY THE KIT.
THEY HAVE NO SERIAL NUMBERS SO
WHEN THEY SHOW UP AT A CRIME
SCENE THEY CAN’T BE TRACED.
AND BUYERS AREN’T REQUIRED TO
PASS BACKGROUND CHECKS TO BUY
THE KITS TO MAKE THE GUN.
ANYONE FROM A CRIMINAL TO A
TERRORIST CAN BUY THIS KIT AND
IN AS LITTLE AS 30 MINUTES PUT
TOGETHER A WEAPON.
I WANT TO SEE THINKS KITS
TREATED AS FIREARMS UNDER THE
GUN CONTROL ACT WHICH WILL
REQUIRE THAT SELLERS AND
MANUFACTURERS MAKE THE KEY PARTS
WITH SERIAL NUMBERS AND RUN
BACKGROUND CHECKS ON THE BUYERS
WHEN THEY WALK IN TO BUY THAT
PACKAGE.
>>> THE SECOND ACTION, BACK IN
THE YEAR 2000, THE ATF RELEASED
ITS REPORT ON FIREARMS
TRAFFICKING IN AMERICA.
IT WAS OF PIVOTAL VALUE, AN
IMPORTANT TOOL FOR POLICYMAKERS
WHEN I WAS IN THE SENATE AND
BEYOND AT ALL LEVELS TO STOP
FIREARMS FROM BEING DIVERTED
INTO DANGEROUS HANDS.
TODAY WITH ONLINE SALES AND
GHOST GUNS, TIMES HAVE CHANGED
AND WE HAVE TO ADJUST.
WE ALSO HAVE TO ASK THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT TO RELEASE A NEW
ANNUAL REPORT.
THIS REPORT WILL BETTER HELP
POLICYMAKERS ADDRESS FIREARMS
TRAFFICKING AS OF TODAY, NOT
WHAT IT WAS YESTERDAY.
THE THIRD CHANGE.
WE WANT TO TREAT PISTOLS
MODIFIED WITH STABILIZING BRACES
WITH THE SERIOUSNESS THEY
DESERVE.
THAT ESSENTIALLY MAKES IT A HELL
OF A LOT MORE ACCURATE THAN A
MINIRIFLE.
IT IS MORE LETHAL EFFECTIVELY
TURNING IT INTO A RIFLE.
THAT’S WHAT THE SHOOTER IN
BOULDER APPEARS TO HAVE DONE.
THESE FIREARMS THAT MAKE THEM
MORE LETHAL SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO
THE NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT.
IT REQUIRES THAT AN OWNER PAY
$200 FEE AND SUBMIT THEIR NAME
TO A JUSTICE DEPARTMENT JUST AS
IF THEY PURCHASED A SCIENCER FOR
A GUN.
>>> FOURTHLY, DURING MY CAMPAIGN
AS PRESIDENT I WANTED TO MAKE IT
EASIER FOR STATES TO ADOPT RED
FLAG LAWS, WHICH EVERY ONE HERE
KNOWS, BUT MANY DO NOT.
THESE LAWS ALLOW POLICE OR
FAMILY MEMBER TO PETITION A
COURT IN THEIR JURISDICTION AND
SAY I WANT YOU TO TEMPORARILY
REMOVE FROM THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE
ANY FIREARM THEY MAY POSSESS
BECAUSE THEY ARE A DANGER IN A
CRISIS.
THEY ARE PRESENTING A DANGER TO
THEMSELVES AND OTHERS.
THE COURT MAKES A RULING.
TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE, MORE
THAN HALF OF ALL SUICIDES
INVOLVE THE USE OF A FIREARM.
BUT WHEN A GUN IS NOT AVAILABLE,
AN ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE, THE DEATH
RATE DROPS PRECIPITOUSLY.
STATES THAT HAVE RED FLAG LAWS
HAVE SEEN A REDUCTION IN SUICIDE
IN THEIR STATES.
EVERY SINGLE MONTH AN AVERAGE OF
53 WOMEN ARE SHOT AND KILLED BY
A PARTNER.
I WROTE THE VIOLENCE AGAINST
WOMEN ACT.
IT HAS BEEN A CONSTANT STRUGGLE
TO KEEP IT MOVING.
WE KNOW RED FLAG LAWS CAN HELP
FOR WOMEN AGAINST DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE.
I’M PROUD, EXCUSE THE POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AS WE USED TO
PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AS WE USED TO SAY IN SENATE, I’M GLAD THAT THE
SAY IN SENATE, I’M GLAD THAT THE
LAW IS NAMED AFTER OUR SON BOW
BIDEN.
I WANT STATES TO ENACT THEIR OWN
RED FLAG LAWS.
TODAY I ASK THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT TO PUBLISH A MODEL
RED FLAG LEGISLATION SO STATES
CAN START CRACKING THEIR OWN
LAWS RIGHT NOW JUST LIKE WITH