One of Kamala Harris鈥� more forceful platforms as a presidential candidate was to enact stricter gun control measures, and it鈥檚 a platform that she might continue to promote as a vice presidential candidate.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not waiting for good ideas 鈥� we have good ideas. We鈥檙e not waiting for another tragedy 鈥� we have seen the worst human tragedies we can imagine. What鈥檚 missing is politicians in Washington having the courage to stand up to the [National Rifle Association],鈥� she wrote on a of her campaign website.
On Tuesday, Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic candidate for president, tapped Harris as his running mate. And while stricter gun control measures have at times been a major part of Harris鈥� campaign platforms, the issue was barely raised at the Wednesday press conference that served as the ticket鈥檚 first public appearance together. During roughly 45 minutes of remarks from Biden and Harris, each candidate only uttered the word 鈥済un鈥� once.
But on the and , Harris said she would demand for Congress to send her a bill to tighten gun regulations in her first 100 days, or she would take executive action. Specifically, she has advocated for:
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- Implementing universal background checks
- Banning semi-automatic rifles, or so-called assault weapons
- Repealing the NRA鈥檚 corporate gun manufacturer immunity shield,
- The most comprehensive federal background checks in history
- Revoking the licenses of gun manufacturers that break the law
- Closing the 鈥渂oyfriend loophole鈥� to make it harder for domestic abusers to purchase guns
- Reversing President Donald Trump鈥檚 decision to allow to purchase guns
- Banning importation of AR-15 style assault weapons
- Criminalizing gun trafficking at the federal level
- Banning high-capacity magazines
- Prohibiting those convicted of a federal hate crime from buying guns
After Biden announced Harris as his running mate, gun rights activists quickly criticized the pick. In a , the NRA wrote that Harris had 鈥渆xtreme gun control agendas鈥� and that 鈥淏iden & Harris will dismantle the 2nd Amendment.鈥� Firearms Policy Coalition , 鈥淜amala Harris, while serving as AG in California, was the architect of many of CA鈥檚 anti-2A laws and regulations.鈥�
Biden Chooses 2nd Amendment-Hating as his VP
Harris鈥檚 presidential campaign died soon after announcing extreme gun control agendas. Her plan was to ignore democratic processes & enact gun control by executive order.
Biden & Harris will dismantle the 2nd Amendment.
鈥� NRA (@NRA)
Conversely, supporters of stricter gun regulation cheered the selection. Everytown for Gun Safety called Biden-Harris 鈥渢he strongest gun safety ticket in American history.鈥� And Moms Demand Action a 鈥減assionate advocate for gun safety and has co-sponsored a long list of gun safety legislation as a U.S. senator.鈥�
Everytown-endorsed has chosen Senator as his vice presidential running mate! With these two gun sense champions on the ticket, it鈥檚 clear that gun violence prevention is a central issue in this election.
鈥� Everytown (@Everytown)
Of course, even if elected, it could prove difficult for Biden and Harris to enact many of these policies 鈥� and would depend heavily on how elections for Congress shake out. For years, President Barack Obama , especially following mass shootings like in Newtown, Connecticut, and San Bernardino, California. However, Congress passed only two pieces of gun-related legislation for him to sign, and Obama has lamented that he wasn鈥檛 able to make strides in that area.
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