President Biden renews call for assault weapons ban after Nashville shooting
President Joe Biden has renewed his call for an assault weapons ban following the recent shooting at Covenant School in Nashville, where a former student killed three adults and three children with an assault rifle and handgun. The incident has prompted the White House to push harder for gun control legislation, particularly with regards to assault weapons.
The proposed assault weapons ban has been met with mixed reactions from both Democrats and Republicans. While some lawmakers have voiced their support for the ban, others have expressed concerns that it could lead to confiscation of firearms from law-abiding citizens.
White House press secretary dodges question on potential confiscation of semi-automatic rifles
During a press conference, Karine JeanPierre, the White House press secretary, dodged a question on whether the proposed assault weapons ban would lead to confiscation of semi-automatic rifles. Instead, she emphasized that these types of guns should not be allowed on the streets or in public places such as schools, grocery stores or churches.
JeanPierre called on Congress to take action and pass legislation banning assault weapons, blaming Republicans for the lack of progress in gun control laws. Some Republican lawmakers have suggested that Congress has already done all it can to address gun violence.
White House press secretary criticizes Republican lawmakers over gun control
JeanPierre criticized Republican lawmakers who claimed that there was nothing more Congress can do to prevent mass shootings like the one at Covenant School. She called their comments “shameful” and “unacceptable,” urging GOP lawmakers to “show some courage” and introduce legislation banning assault weapons.
Citing data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), JeanPierre noted that assault weapons are responsible for killing more children than any other type of firearm. She emphasized that something must be done to prevent another tragedy like the one in Nashville from happening again.
Congressman downplays gun violence and cites abortion as a bigger issue
Representative Clay Higgins has been criticized for his remarks downplaying gun violence in the US after several mass shootings. During a committee hearing, he argued that there is no such thing as gun violence, only human violence, and suggested that abortion was a bigger issue than firearms.
Higgins cited CDC data showing that over 620,000 legally induced abortions took place in America in 2020, while 4,357 children died from firearm accidents, suicides or homicides. Many social media users criticized Higgins for his false equivalence between firearms and abortion.
Despite the controversy surrounding these comments, the debate on gun control continues to gain momentum as citizens and lawmakers alike grapple with how best to prevent future mass shootings while protecting Second Amendment rights.
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