President Biden marked the 12th anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut on Saturday with a fresh call to Congress to work on gun reform legislation.
Biden, in a press release, praised his administration’s efforts to combat gun violence, but said more needs to be done — especially as his presidency enters its final stretch.
“Jill and I continue to grieve this unimaginable loss and continue to pray for the families of the victims and others traumatized by this senseless violence,” he wrote. “So many individuals affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have turned their pain into purpose.”
“The legacy of this tragedy is one of great loss, but it also holds hope,” he added. “Twelve years ago, mothers at kitchen tables went online, expressed their outrage, and organized for common-sense gun safety legislation.”
The president also expressed appreciation for the families of those killed by gun violence and the advocates who have taken a stand, built foundations to preserve the memories of their loved ones, and pledged to hold the gun industry accountable.
“Thanks to the strength of this bold movement by us, we have made historic progress on reducing gun violence over the past four years,” Biden said, outlining the administration’s efforts. Gun reform initiatives, including federal and state gun safety legislation, and the creation of the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
“Four years into my administration, homicides are down, crime rates are down, and we are seeing fewer mass shootings. This progress is no accident,” he continued. “But more needs to be done.”
“Congress has an obligation to do something to protect our children and communities from the scourge of gun violence,” the president wrote. “We are the only nation in this epidemic with common-sense policies that a majority of Americans agree with and that Congress can easily act on.”
The push comes after Congress passed a bipartisan gun safety bill just over two years ago, which Biden signed into law in June 2022. The bill strengthens background checks for gun buyers ages 18 to 21, makes obtaining firearms through informal purchases or trades a federal crime, and clarifies the definition of a federally licensed firearms dealer.
In his latest proposal, he listed universal background checks, red flag laws, safe storage requirements, and a ban on assault weapons — like those used in the Sandy Hook shooting — as first steps.
The remarks come nearly three months after Biden signed an executive order focused on preventing gun violence. Under the order, the administration aims to crack down on 3D-printed firearms — like the ghost gun used in the recent fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — and to improve active shooter training in schools across the country.
“I remain hopeful that we will continue to make progress on these priorities,” Biden concluded in the statement.
Many survivors of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting graduated earlier this year, more than a decade after the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, that left 20 people and six educators dead.
