Topline
The seventh mass shooting in the U.S. in seven days has added pressure on President Joe Biden to act swiftly on his promise to pass gun control reform even as his administration pivots to tackling a sprawling $3 trillion infrastructure plan.
Key Facts
A shooting at a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, on Monday left 10 dead, including police officer Eric Talley, 51; Law enforcement says the alleged gunman used an AR-15 style rifle during the shooting spree.
Joined by a chorus of Democrats, Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) called on Congress to pass gun control legislation in the wake of the shooting in their home state.
“It’s long past time for Congress to take meaningful action to keep deadly weapons out of the wrong hands,” Bennet said in a statement Monday.
In a possible sign of more urgent messaging coming from the White House, Biden senior adviser Cedric Richmond told MSNBC on Tuesday the shooting in Colorado meant it was time for “action” on gun control because “the regular sentiment of hearts and prayers are not enough.”
Biden did not speak about gun control following last week’s deadly shooting spree in Atlanta, according to CNN, and the White House did not issue a statement after the House passed gun reform last week, though the president’s team, led by Richmond and Susan Rice, director of the Domestic Policy Council, has been working behind the scenes to draft possible executive orders.
On the third anniversary of the Parkland school shooting in February, Biden promised his administration would “not wait for the next mass shooting” to pass gun reform.
The White House did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment Tuesday.
Key Background
During his speech on the anniversary of the Parkland shooting last month, Biden called on Congress to pass “common sense gun laws” including background checks for all gun purchases, a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines, and an end to immunity for gun manufacturers. Biden’s gun control plan also calls for instituting a gun buyback program, and “restricting the number of firearms an individual may purchase per month to one.” Under his powers as president, Biden could require background checks on so-called “ghost guns” which don’t have a serial number, among other smaller reforms all by executive order, according to CNN.
What To Watch For
Earlier this month, the House passed legislation that would expand background checks to all gun sales and extend the amount of time the F.B.I. has to examine a gun buyer flagged by the national check system from three to 10 days. The bill faces long odds in the Senate, where Democrats will have to convince at least 10 Republicans to join forces on gun reform to avoid a filibuster. Polling shows broad support for the House-passed legislation. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing at 10 a.m. EST Tuesday on reducing gun violence.
Tangent
In the last week, there have been seven shootings in the U.S. involving four or more casualties (dead or wounded), according to CNN: eight people died during a shooting in Atlanta, Georgia on March 16, five people were shot during a shooting spree in Stockton, California on March 17, four were shot during a shooting in Gresham, Oregon on March 18, five people were shot outside a nightclub Houston, Texas on March 20, eight people were shot in Dallas, Texas on March 20, 1 person was killed and five injured during a shooting at a party in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 20, and 10 people were killed in Boulder, Colorado on Monday.
Crucial Quote
“It seems like we are getting back to normal, and unfortunately that means we are continuing to see mass shootings in the news around the country,” Colorado State Senate Majority Leader Stephen Fenberg (D) told MSNBC Monday.
Surprising Fact
A judge blocked the city of Boulder, Colorado, from enforcing its local ban on assault rifles and large capacity magazines last week. The NRA cheered the decision, which it helped to facilitate by backing the challenge in court.
Further Reading
10 Dead, Including Police Officer, In Boulder Supermarket Mass Shooting (Forbes)