“How much more carnage are we willing to accept?”

Washington — President Biden on Thursday declared it’s time to put an finish to the “carnage” and lack of American lives in mass shootings throughout the nation as he pleaded with Congress to go what he stated are “rational, common-sense measures” to curb gun violence. 

“How much carnage are we willing to accept? How many more innocent American lives must be taken before we say enough? Enough,” Mr. Biden stated in a primetime deal with on gun violence delivered from the White House.

The remarks from the president come because the nation grapples with the aftermath of mass shootings in Buffalo, New York; Uvalde, Texas; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. In a logo of how gun violence is a matter affecting the whole nation, 56 candles representing the 50 states and 6 U.S. territories lined Mr. Biden’s stroll to the rostrum within the Cross Hall, in accordance to the White House.

“After Columbine, after Sandy Hook, after Charleston, after Orlando, after Las Vegas, after Parkland, nothing has been done,” the president stated. “This time that can’t be true. This time, we must actually do something.”

As he has confused earlier than, Mr. Biden referred to as for the ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines to be reinstated — almost 20 years after it expired — however stated if that can not be accomplished, then the minimal buying age for semi-automatic weapons needs to be raised from 18 to 21 years previous. He additionally referred to as for a strengthening of background checks, for safe-storage and red-flag legal guidelines to be enacted, and for the immunity that shields gun producers from legal responsibility to be repealed. 

 The president additionally referred to as for psychological well being resources to be bolstered, saying there’s a “serious youth mental health crisis in this county.”

Mr. Biden was adamant “this isn’t about taking away anyone’s rights,” rebutting some who’ve claimed gun management measures will infringe upon Second Amendment rights, and confused there have lengthy been restrictions on the weapons Americans can personal.

“It’s about protecting children,” Mr. Biden stated.  “It’s about protecting families. It’s about protecting whole communities. It’s about protecting our freedom to go to school, to a grocery store, to a church without being shot and killed.”

After outlining his plan to deal with gun violence, Mr. Biden requested “What will the Congress do?

The massacre in Uvalde prompted swift action from the Democratic-controlled House Judiciary Committee, which met Thursday and, after a marathon hearing, advanced a package of bills called the “Protecting Our Kids Act” that would harden the nation’s gun laws. Action from the full House could come as soon as next week, although it faces steep challenges to be passed in the 50-50 Senate, where 60 votes are needed for legislation to be passed.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also told her Democratic colleagues in a letter Thursday that after returning from its two-week recess, the lower chamber will vote next week on legislation that would implement a nationwide extreme-risk law. The House will also hold a hearing on an assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004, she said.

Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of senators has been meeting to discuss common ground on gun legislation. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, confirmed Monday that they are making progress as they hammer out details of revised “pink flag” legislation that they both hope can win sufficient GOP support to overcome a filibuster in the Senate.

Mr. Biden said he supports the bipartisan efforts in the Senate to change the nation’s gun laws, but placed the onus on the upper chamber to take action.

“This time, we have to take the time to do one thing, and this time, it is time for the Senate to do one thing,” he said, adding, “My God, the truth that a majority of the Senate Republicans don’t need any of those proposals even to be debated or come up for a vote I discover unconscionable. We cannot fail the American individuals once more.”