US President Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris have just announced a new executive order aimed at addressing gun violence, a key issue in the presidential campaigns of both the Democratic candidate and his Republican opponent, Donald Trump.
The executive order, announced on September 26, aims to establish a new task force dedicated to countering emerging threats posed by weapons in the U.S., including 3D-printed and convertible guns.
The task force will also examine the rapid rise of 3D-printed guns, which are easily printed using internet code and cannot be tracked because they lack serial numbers. The task force must submit its report within 90 days – not long before Biden leaves office.
The order also calls on federal agencies to develop guidance for schools on conducting school shooting drills to minimize potential psychological harm to students.
US President Joe Biden signs a new executive order aimed at addressing gun violence, September 26, 2024. Photo: The Guardian
"The lack of guidance today on how to prepare students while minimizing the psychological trauma caused by shooting prevention drills is unacceptable," Biden said at a press conference in Washington, D.C., on September 26.
Referring to the new executive order aimed at improving school shooting drills, the US President said: “I never thought I’d have to sign something like this, but we have to.” Biden called the impact of machine gun conversion devices – weapons capable of turning a handgun into a fully automatic weapon – “catastrophic.”
Ms. Harris expressed her support for the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects the right of Americans to keep and bear arms, and also supported the ban on assault weapons and the passage of universal background checks, secure storage laws, and red flag laws.
“Our nation is experiencing a gun violence epidemic,” Harris said at a press conference alongside Biden. “We know that this widespread violence causes trauma that often goes undiagnosed and untreated, meaning its consequences are immediate and lifelong.”
Research has long indicated that school shooting drills, while common in American schools, can be detrimental to the mental health of participants. A study conducted by Georgia Tech on behalf of the Everytown for Gun Safety group found that such drills were associated with a 39% increase in depression and a 42% increase in stress and anxiety.
“The purpose (of the new order) is to help schools improve their drills so they can more effectively prepare for shooting situations while preventing or minimizing any injuries that could result from poorly executed drills,” Stef Feldman, Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, told reporters at a press briefing on September 25.
Questions about access to guns have also become an issue in the 2024 US presidential election campaign, with Trump claiming during a debate with Harris earlier this month that his opponent “wants to confiscate your guns.” Harris strongly refuted that accusation, noting that she and her running mate, Tim Walz, both own guns.
In a televised interview last week, Harris said she wouldn't hesitate to use a gun in self-defense, stating, "If someone breaks into my house, they'll be shot."
When asked about Harris's recent comments, a White House official told reporters that those comments showed that gun ownership is not contrary to "normal" gun regulations.
“This is a prime example of the truth across the country: You can be a gun owner and also support gun safety laws,” the official said. “There really is no conflict between owning a gun and being a supporter of assault weapon bans.”
Minh Duc (Based on The Guardian, CNN, DW)
Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/ong-biden-ky-sac-lenh-quan-important-ve-phong-chong-xa-sung-tai-my-204240927131900273.htm
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