President Biden has not ruled out using executive action to push through his gun control agenda, White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed Tuesday.
The news followed a meeting between gun control group leaders and top White House officials last week which left the leaders feeling confident that the Biden administration would enact gun reform via executive order, if necessary.
When asked by a reporter during Tuesday’s press briefing whether or not the administration was still considering bypassing Congress to force action on guns, Psaki said that Biden “has a range of actions at his disposal” and added that he “hasn’t ruled out” using executive power to address the issue.
Biden, who made weakening Second Amendment rights a major theme of his campaign, issued a statement this week on the anniversary of the shooting in Parkland, Florida, urging Congress to get moving on what he called “commonsense” gun laws — which includes the outright ban of so-called assault weapons.
“Today, I am calling on Congress to enact commonsense gun law reforms, including requiring background checks on all gun sales, banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and eliminating immunity for gun manufacturers who knowingly put weapons of war on our streets,” he said.
During the news conference, Psaki was also asked about Biden’s statement and, specifically, the chances that such an aggressive gun control plan has to pass in Congress.
In response, Psaki noted that the administration hadn’t put together a legislative package yet, perhaps signaling that executive action is the administration’s preferred route.
“Well, we haven’t proposed a package at this point, so it’s hard for me to make a prediction about its likelihood of passing,” she said. “But I will say that the president is somebody throughout his career who has advocated for smart gun safety measures. He has not afraid of standing up to the [National Rifle Association]. He’s done it multiple times and won on background checks and a range of issues. And it is a priority to him on a personal level, but I don’t have a prediction for you, or preview for you on a timeline of a package, and certainly not what it will look like and how it goes through Congress.”
*story by The Blaze
