It’s a topic that divides America between supporters of the freedom to carry and possess firearms and opponents. The Democratic president, however, is trying to limit the circulation of firearms. Joe Biden thus announced a new round of regulatory measures on Tuesday. But their scope will be limited in the absence of a federal law, a very unlikely prospect at the present time.
The American president must expose these measures later in the day in Monterey Park (California), a locality bereaved at the beginning of the year by a shooting which made 11 victims in the Asian community.
A report for potentially violent individuals
The measures announced Tuesday should, in particular, strengthen background checks for firearms purchases – even if the principle of universal verification can only be imposed by federal legislation, the White House said in a press release.
The 80-year-old Democrat also wants to encourage the use of “red flag” reporting of potentially violent individuals, whom justice can then deprive of firearms, and deal with the explosion, + 250% between 2018 and 2022, the number of weapons declared as “stolen” or “lost” during transport between dealers.
Limited effects
Joe Biden also wants to step up the pressure on the powerful gun industry, flagging sellers who have violated federal rules. It also “encourages” the Federal Trade Agency, an independent body, to publish a report on the sale and promotion of firearms to minors.
The American president knows, however, that he cannot do much in the face of the multiple shootings, of which only the bloodiest now give rise to media coverage. It is indeed the States which are competent in terms of the purchase, ownership and carrying of firearms. Only a federal law could be imposed on them, for example to ban assault rifles, as claimed by Joe Biden. That seems highly unlikely with one of the two houses of Congress now in the hands of Republicans, staunch supporters of the constitutional right to own a gun.