Current:Home > NewsThe White House is hosting nearly 100 US lawmakers to brainstorm gun violence prevention strategies-InfoLens
The White House is hosting nearly 100 US lawmakers to brainstorm gun violence prevention strategies
View Date:2024-12-23 15:16:16
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is hosting nearly 100 lawmakers from around the country on Wednesday to work on how their states can try to reduce gun violence.
The gun violence prevention office, the first of its kind, was launched this year by President Joe Biden. It has formulated a set of guidelines to help states take action across six areas, including creating state-run offices like the federal office, strengthening support for survivors and families of victims, and reinforcing responsible gun ownership.
“We’ve been meeting with the state legislators ever since the start of our office, and one thing we hear all the time is they want to do more to reduce gun violence,” said Stefanie Feldman, director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. “The question is, what should they do and how?”
Lawmakers from 39 states are attending Wednesday’s gathering, including legislators from Nevada, where a gunman last week killed three faculty members and wounded a fourth in a roughly 10-minute rampage at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. That shooter had a list of targets at the university and more than 150 rounds of ammunition, police said.
Vice President Kamala Harris is overseeing the office and will speak to the lawmakers on Wednesday.
Biden, a Democrat, has called gun violence “the ultimate superstorm,” affecting not just victims but the everyday lives of community members. His administration says it believes the response to gun violence should better resemble how the government acts after natural disasters. The office of gun violence prevention is an effort to create a centralized response from the federal government and a place where communities can turn for resources.
The issue figures heavily into Biden’s 2024 reelection campaign, which hopes to reach younger voters who are deeply concerned about gun violence. The president has also pushed for a ban on assault weapons.
Before the meeting, the Justice Department came up with model legislation that state lawmakers can take back to their legislatures on safe storage of weapons and on reporting lost and stolen firearms. Some shootings in schools, for example, are committed with weapons found at home or at the home of a friend. Weapons that go lost or missing often end up being used in crimes.
As of Wednesday, there had been at least 42 mass killings in the United States this year, leaving at least 217 people dead, not including shooters who died, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.
Mass shootings are only part of the problem of gun violence. The measures are also meant to address domestic violence killings, community violence and suicides.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of gun violence at https://apnews.com/hub/gun-violence.
veryGood! (6)
Related
- Dallas Long, who won 2 Olympic medals while dominating the shot put in the 1960s, has died at 84
- Bears 'Hard Knocks' takeaways: Caleb Williams shines; where's the profanity?
- Israelis protest as Netanyahu pushes back over Gaza hostage deal pressure | The Excerpt
- Zendaya and Tom Holland Are the Perfect Match During Lowkey Los Angeles Outing
- High-scoring night in NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo explodes for 59, Victor Wembanyama for 50
- Illinois law banning concealed carry on public transit is unconstitutional, judge rules
- Stock market today: Wall Street tumbles on worries about the economy, and Dow drops more than 600
- Tori Spelling, Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher, Anna Delvey on 'Dancing With the Stars'
- 'I heard it and felt it': Chemical facility explosion leaves 11 hospitalized in Louisville
- '1000-lb Sisters' star Amy Slaton arrested on drug possession, child endangerment charges
Ranking
- Question of a lifetime: Families prepare to confront 9/11 masterminds
- How Joey King Is Celebrating First Wedding Anniversary to Steven Piet
- No prison time but sexual offender registry awaits former deputy and basketball star
- Neighbor charged with murder of couple who went missing from California nudist resort
- My Little Pony finally hits the Toy Hall of Fame, alongside Phase 10 and Transformers
- As Tornado Alley Shifts East, Bracing for Impact in Unexpected Places
- Global stocks tumble after Wall Street drops on worries about the economy
- Step Inside Jennifer Garner’s Los Angeles Home That Doubles as a Cozy Oasis
Recommendation
-
New 'Yellowstone' is here: Season 5 Part 2 premiere date, time, where to watch
-
Workers at General Motors joint venture battery plant in Tennessee unionize and will get pay raise
-
Is olive oil good for you? The fast nutrition facts on this cooking staple
-
Zendaya and Tom Holland Are the Perfect Match During Lowkey Los Angeles Outing
-
Diamond Sports Group will offer single-game pricing to stream NBA and NHL games starting next month
-
Kendall Jenner Ditches Her Signature Style for Bold Haircut in Calvin Klein Campaign
-
Horoscopes Today, September 3, 2024
-
Police say 11-year-old used 2 guns to kill former Louisiana mayor and his daughter