The White House is set to hold a series of events this week focused on combatting gun violence in Black communities as President Biden continues to push Congress to do more on gun control. The events, organized by the newly created White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, kick off Monday with nationwide virtual meeting with Black leaders on tackling gun violence in their communities, according to USA Today Biden needs Black voters to get behind his reelection bid in the fall. White House officials will host a roundtable discussion on gun violence with Black elected officials from across the country. It will be followed by a virtual workshop to connect state and local leaders to federal resources to address gun violence including community safety programs. The week will culminate Friday with a White House ceremony hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris to honor 31 graduates of the inaugural class of trainees from the University of Chicago Crime Lab’s Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy.
Biden launched the Office of Gun Violence Prevention in September to expedite the implementation of executive actions he's taken on gun violence and measures in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which passed in 2022 as the first significant overhaul in federal firearms laws in 30 years. The law created a $750 million funding pot to incentivize states to create "red flag laws," which allow police or family members to get a court order that temporarily confiscates firearms from individuals who pose a danger. Biden has responded to mass shootings in the U.S. by repeatedly calling on Congress to take additional action: reinstate a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and pass legislation requiring gun background checks with gun purchases. The Office of Gun Violence Prevention's mission is to identify future actions to reduce gun violence, expand partnerships with local and state leaders to address gun violence and expand federal support for victims and families of victims of gun violence.
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