On Tuesday President Joe Biden issued an executive order that would bolster background checks for gun ownership. This move is being promoted by the White House as an attempt for a more comprehensive policy that would not require Congress to be enacted.
The order is going to be boosting federal support for red flag laws that have already been passed in 19 states and the District of Columbia to eliminate gun sales to those deemed dangerous to themselves or others. Biden’s order also includes safe storage of guns instructions and asks the Federal Trade Commission to examine how firearms are marketed to minors.
Biden is going to be discussing the order on Tuesday with gun violence victims in Monterey Park, California where 11 people were killed and 9 people were injured during a mass shooting on Jan. 21. President Biden is hoping to see voters in the 2024 presidential election embrace more strict gun control regulations as the number of gun deaths in the U.S. per year has reached more than 40,000.
However, Republicans are hoping to have a nominee who will go against Biden’s policies for gun control, as they are backed by important gun rights advocacy groups like the National Rifle Association.
Recent polls have shown that most Americans are in favor of extensive background checks for firearm sales. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last year found that 84 percent of respondents backed background checks and 70 percent supported red flag laws.
