President Joe Biden said Monday that he plans to continue to push for gun-safety legislation in the wake of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas that left 19 children and two teachers dead, but has not yet spoken to Republicans in Congress about the issue.
He made the remarks after returning to the White House following a trip to Uvalde where he met with families of the victims Sunday.
“The folks who were victimized, their families, they spent three hours and 40 minutes with me,” Biden told reporters Monday. “They waited all that time. Some came two hours early. The pain is palpable. I think a lot of it is unnecessary.”
He said he hasn’t spoken with Republicans so doesn’t know if they are willing to support passage of gun-safety laws. He said for his part, “I’ve been pretty motivated all along.”
Biden did not detail specific restrictions he would like to see in legislation but suggested an assault weapons ban or restrictions on high-capacity magazines should be on the table.
“There’s only one reason for something that can fire 100 shots,” the president said.
Democrats, Republicans talking gun bills
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said last week he wants GOP lawmakers to work with Democrats on a legislative solution for limited gun measures “directly related” to the Uvalde shooting. A bipartisan group of about 10 senators have been meeting to discuss possible legislation.
The three topics they discussed included background checks for guns purchased online or at gun shows, red-flag laws designed to keep guns away from those who could harm themselves or others, and programs to bolster security at schools and other buildings.
The gunman on Tuesday purchased 2 semi-automatic AR-15-style rifles around his 18th birthday May 16 and burst into an unlocked door at the school with more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, according to law enforcement. More than 142 spent cartridges were found inside the school, where he holed up in adjoining classrooms and shot the teachers and children.
Biden on Monday recalled hearings he held when he was a senator to talk about “rational gun laws” and seeing an x-ray when visiting a trauma hospital in New York once. “A 9mm bullet blows the lung out of the body,” he said.
“There’s simply no rational basis for it in terms of self protection, hunting,” Biden said. “The Constitution, the Second Amendment was never absolute. You couldn’t buy a cannon when the Second Amendment was passed.”
‘I can’t dictate this stuff’
The president said he does not have the authority to impose gun restrictions by executive order, and he pledged to continue doing what he could within his power.
“I can’t dictate this stuff,” he said. “I can’t outlaw a weapon. I can’t change a background check. I can’t do that.”
He said while he wasn’t privy to senators’ negotiations, he believes McConnell and Cornyn are both “rational.” And I have suggested that escalating bloodshed of late may have an impact. Ten days before the slaying in Uvalde, a gunman killed 10 shoppers at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York.
“I think things have gotten so bad that everybody is getting more rational about it,” Biden said.
Contributing: Ledyard King
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism