JABAR EKSPRES – US President, Joe Biden, called on Republican lawmakers in Congress to approve gun reform measures, following a series of shootings across the country as the United States celebrated Independence Day on July 4.
Over the past few days, the US has faced a wave of shootings ranging from Philadelphia to Fort Worth, Baltimore to Lansing, and Wichita to Chicago.
“Today, Jill and I grieve for those who lost their lives and, as our nation celebrates Independence Day, we pray for a day when our communities are free from gun violence,” Biden said in a statement on Tuesday July 4, 2023.
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“Today also marks one year since a gunman armed with an AR-15-style weapon opened fire on a crowd of Americans gathered for an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois. In a few moments, this day of patriotic pride became a place of suffering and tragedy,” he said.
Biden praised the Illinois authorities for banning assault weapons, saying that “their achievement will save lives.”
He said more must be done across America to address the epidemic of gun violence.
“It is within our power to once again ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to require safe gun storage, to end gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability, and to enact universal background checks,” Biden said.
“I urge other states to follow Illinois’ lead, and continue to call on Republican lawmakers in Congress to address sensible and meaningful reforms that the American people support,” he said, adding.
Mass shootings in the US reached a record high in the first half of the year, with more than 330 mass shootings recorded, according to data collected by the Gun Violence Archive.
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