Citing Buffalo and Uvalde shootings, Biden pleads for gun safety legislation

Noting that on Sunday he visited Uvalde, where 19 fourth-graders and two teachers were shot to death last week, Biden said, "We stood in such a place just 12 days before, across from a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, memorializing 10 fellow Americans: a spouse, a parent, a grandparent, a sibling, gone forever."

Biden and First Lady Jill Biden met with hundreds of family members who had lost loved ones in both places.

"They had one message for all of us: 'Do something,' " Biden said. " 'Just do something. For God's sake, do something.' "

There's comparatively little that Biden can do, though, given that the power to change gun laws rests with the deeply divided Congress. That being the case, much of Biden's 17-minute speech served as a call to action urging lawmakers to compromise and pass meaningful gun safety legislation.

Biden stressed, as he has for years, that he supports banning assault weapons: the military-style rifles that can carry upwards of 30 rounds of ammunition and kill multiple people quickly.

But perhaps in a silent acknowledgement that even the Democrat-led House lacks the votes to ban assault weapons, the president put a heavy emphasis on a proposal that's likely to garner more support: moving the minimum age for buying an assault weapon from 18 to 21.

The suspects in the Buffalo and Uvalde shootings both bought their weapons shortly after they turned 18. Biden made it clear that he thinks that is too young for anyone to purchase such a deadly weapon.

The Uvalde shooter – who was shot dead by police – "purchased two assault weapons for himself, because in Texas, you can be 18 years old and buy an assault weapon, even though you can't buy a pistol in Texas until you're 21," Biden said. "If we can't ban assault weapons – as we should – you must at least raise the age to be able to purchase one to 21."

Biden acknowledged that 18-year-olds can serve in the military and use such weapons, but he noted that those young soldiers receive training and supervision from "the best-trained experts in the world."

The president also suggested a strengthened background check system that would cover nearly all weapons purchases, including those sold at gun shows and online. He said the federal background check system also needs to be improved by closing the loophole that allows gun purchases to go forward after three business days, even if the FBI hasn't finished reviewing the gun buyer's background.

Biden also proposed:

• A ban on high-capacity magazines.

• A ban on "ghost guns" that don't have serial numbers and therefore can't be traced.

• A safe-storage law requiring gun owners to keep their weapons under lock and key.

• A federal red flag law that would allow law enforcement to take guns away from people deemed to be a threat to themselves or others.

• A crackdown on gun trafficking and straw purchases.

The House next week will take up legislation addressing most of those issues. But that measure and House-passed legislation strengthening background checks are likely dead on arrival in the Senate, which is split 50-50 between the two parties and has a filibuster rule requiring a 60-vote majority to approve legislation coming to the floor for debate.

A group of senators from both parties has been trying to negotiate a deal that would be acceptable to at least 10 Republicans, and the key Democrat in that group – Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut – said after Biden's speech that he was optimistic that a deal could be struck.

“President Biden is right – doing nothing is not an option," Murphy said in a statement. "Over the last week, I have been in almost constant communication with my colleagues to find common ground on a meaningful, bipartisan package that will save lives. Momentum is building, and we’re going to keep at it to make sure we meet this moment and deliver for the overwhelming majority of Americans demanding change.”

The key Republican in that group, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, offered no immediate reaction to Biden's speech. But Fox News host Tucker Carlson quickly chimed in, criticizing Biden's speech before a photo of Biden and a headline that read: "PREPARE TO BE UNARMED."

But Biden stressed that he wants to do no such thing.

"I want to be very clear: This is not about taking away anyone's guns," he said, adding: "This isn't about taking anyone's rights. It's about protecting children. It's about protecting families. It's about protecting whole communities. It's about protecting our freedom to go to school, to a grocery store, to a church and not being shot and killed."