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President Biden is set to announce the creation of a new office for gun violence prevention, marking an escalated effort by his administration to address the issue as legislative progress on gun control remains stalled in Congress.
The announcement is expected to be made Friday at an event in the White House Rose Garden, with the new office aimed at enhancing coordination and response to gun violence at the federal level.
Key individuals expected to have significant roles in the newly established office include Greg Jackson, a gun violence survivor who serves as the executive director of the Community Justice Action Fund, and Rob Wilcox, the senior director for federal government affairs at Everytown for Gun Safety.
The new office will report to Stefanie Feldman, the White House staff secretary, who has extensive experience in working on firearms-related policies and has been involved in the gun policy portfolio at the White House. This centralized leadership on gun violence prevention is expected to facilitate more effective coordination of federal and state resources.
Gun violence prevention groups have long advocated for the establishment of such an office, believing that it would lead to better coordination and leadership from the White House on this pressing issue. The hope is that it will serve as a crucial mechanism for overseeing national policy, research, and resource allocation related to gun violence prevention.
Shannon Watts, the founder emerita of Moms Demand Action, expressed her enthusiasm for the potential creation of this office, stating, “If this announcement is, in fact, the creation of a single point of leadership on gun violence in the administration, it’s a very big deal for the movement.” She emphasized the need for a centralized team to coordinate efforts across different levels of government and with various partners in the movement.
Zeenat Yahya, director of policy at March for Our Lives, emphasized the importance of having an office that can improve coordination between government agencies involved in combating gun violence. The hope is that this office will ensure a more cohesive and effective approach to addressing the issue.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of growing frustration among gun control activists due to the lack of progress in passing comprehensive gun control legislation in Congress. President Biden has consistently advocated for stricter firearms measures and has signed several executive actions aimed at reducing gun violence.
While the establishment of the new office is seen as a positive development, it is not viewed as a comprehensive solution to the issue of gun violence in the United States. However, it is expected to provide a centralized focal point for addressing national policies, research, and resource allocation related to gun violence prevention.
