MFOL Applauds President Biden’s Response to GVP Advocates and Proactive Use of Presidential Power

New York, NY — “Since the President took office, March For Our Lives has repeatedly called on the President to take urgent action on gun safety. We’re pleased today to see him use the powers he already has to tackle the gun crisis, and we’re pleased to see him respond directly to many of the demands youth activists have made of him. His order today would direct his Cabinet to make full use of the laws already on the books, including the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, to tighten background checks and direct the ATF to release records on firearms dealers who violate the law and put our communities in danger. This is an important step towards addressing the gun violence epidemic at its source, preventing guns from falling into the hands of people who shouldn’t have them and ensuring that bad actors in the gun industry are held accountable. The President’s encouragement of the FTC to issue a report is also an important step towards holding the gun industry accountable for preying on America’s children and youth with their marketing, and for fomenting a dangerous culture that glorifies guns and violence at the expense of our safety. Youth activists at March For Our Lives have called for the President to take these steps and met repeatedly with White House advisors to bring them to life, and we’re glad to see him heed our calls today. More is to be done, and the President is not off the hook for actions he could still take today to address this crisis, but this is the exact kind of action we have long wanted to see from him, and it’s the kind of high-impact actions he can still take, and needs to take, with a gridlocked congress. We hope it’s the first of many more actions, and look forward to continuing to work closely with the White House on further actions.”