Washington, D.C. — Today, President Barack Obama’s administration announced a number of items to follow up on the president’s January 2016 executive actions to reduce gun violence in the United States. These actions include an unprecedented investment in smart gun technology; proposed rule-making to help ensure that individuals prohibited from gun possession under current law because of serious mental illness do not have easy access to guns; and the launch of a 50-state effort working with state and local leaders to take executive and legislative actions to address gun violence in communities across the country.
Winnie Stachelberg, Executive Vice President of External Affairs at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
In the face of persistent inaction in Congress to close the gaps in the nation’s gun laws that leave many communities vulnerable to near-daily gun violence, today’s commonsense actions demonstrate this administration’s continued commitment to taking a comprehensive approach to addressing this public health crisis. CAP is eager to continue working with leaders across the country to follow the president’s example and to explore opportunities to take action now—without waiting for recalcitrant legislatures—to develop smart, effective approaches to reducing gun violence and saving lives.
Key among the actions announced today is an effort to work with state and local leaders in every state to explore options for executive action to reduce gun violence. In December, CAP released a report offering 28 recommendations for how state and local leaders—including governors, attorneys general, public health officials, leaders in law enforcement, mayors, and county executives—can take non-legislative action to prevent gun violence and reduce gun crime in their communities. The report offers a broad range of ideas for executive actions to strengthen background checks, improve enforcement of current laws, enhance data collection and analysis, increase community engagement, enhance oversight of gun carrying, and improve regulation of the gun industry.
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For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Sally Tucker at [email protected] or 202.481.8103.
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