Biden again calls on Congress to tighten gun laws

On Tuesday (local time), Biden spoke out again in Monterey Park, Calif., for a ban on weapons of war, such as assault rifles, which are often used in times of disaster. “Enough – do something. Do something big,” Biden told the U.S. House, where Republicans have been blocking significant toughening of gun laws for years.

Rampages and shootings are part of everyday life in the US. There are more guns in circulation in the United States than anywhere else in the world. In the community of Monterey Park near Los Angeles in Southern California, where Biden was performing Tuesday, a gunman opened fire in a dance hall on the sidelines of a Chinese New Year celebration in January. Eleven people died in the attack and nine others were injured. The perpetrator later shot himself.

Biden announced several other small steps on Tuesday to address gun violence in the country. Consider, for example, a public information campaign about which legal rules already exist for confiscating weapons from people at risk, for example with psychological problems.

The US president has been trying for some time to do something with precautions within his power. However, without substantial legislative changes, experts see no chance of real change. To do this, however, Biden and his Democrats would have to rely on the willingness of Republicans in Congress to cooperate — and there is no sign of that at this point. (sda/dpa)