Activists from numerous gun control groups are pressuring President Biden to created a White House-level gun control office that can be led by an individual who does not need Senate confirmation.
Politico reports that push comes as confirmation of Biden ATF nominee David Chipman appears unlikely, now that Sen. Angus King (I-ME) has voiced his opposition to the nomination.
Subsequently, four groups from the gun control lobby–Guns Down America, March For Our Lives, Newtown Action Alliance, and Survivors Empowered–are urging Biden to create a gun control office that will not be dependent on Senate support.
They sent a letter to Biden which said, in part:
Your administration is hard at work pursuing important priorities from infrastructure reform to reducing the
disastrous impacts of climate change. But with rising gun deaths and the heightened threat of armed political
extremism, gun violence can no longer be seen as a back burner issue.Politicians have told us for decades that we must wait for the “right time” to tackle this crisis. We are writing to
tell you that the time for bold executive action is now — and that you cannot wait on the Senate to take action.
Our lives depend on your leadership.
The members of the gun control lobby asked Biden to create an “Office of Gun Violence Prevention.” Politico notes the gun control lobby suggests the leader of the office could be “an aide who does not need Senate confirmation.”
March for Our Lives’ Zeenat Yahya said, “The president promised bold action over and over again … but he’s not really using all of his powers to tackle the issue of gun violence. When he wants to get things done, he does it. We’ve seen the infrastructure proposals, the Covid relief plan … So I think it’s really up to him to get moving on these things.”
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.