U.S. President Joe Biden renewed his call for Congress to "ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines following a mass shooting in Texas last Saturday that resulted in 8 deaths and 7 injuries." Biden stated in a statement, "A gunman wearing tactical gear armed with an AR-15 assault weapon opened fire on innocent people in a shopping center, and this is not the first time. Such an attack is shocking to the degree that it is difficult to become familiar with." He added, "Reliable estimates show that more than 14,000 of our citizens have lost their lives. The leading cause of death for American children is gun violence. Many families have empty seats at their dinner tables. Republican members of Congress cannot continue to mock this epidemic; thoughts and prayers on Twitter are not enough."
Biden urged Congress to "act quickly to send him a bill regarding safe gun storage and to strengthen background checks for people seeking to purchase firearms. I will sign the bill immediately." It is noted that Congress has been at an impasse in its attempt to pass an assault weapons ban for over a decade. The Democratic-controlled House passed legislation in 2022, but it was rejected in the Senate. However, at least 10 states have issued bans on assault weapons. The U.S. assault weapons ban ended in 2004, having initially been enacted in 1994 when Biden was in the Senate.
