President Joe Biden is expected to announce the creation of the first federal office for gun-violence prevention on Friday, according to news reports.
The move, first reported by the Washington Post, would be a victory for gun-control activists who advocate for stricter national gun laws. The Post learned of the plan from four sources, not named by the paper, who were briefed on the executive action.
Activists say the new office will help the administration coordinate across the federal government on gun-related matters, and will help Biden to exert leadership on gun-violence prevention.
Stefanie Feldman, a top Biden aide, will lead the new office, according to the Post. The Community Justice Action Fund’s Greg Jackson and Everytown for Gun Safety’s Rob Wilcox, leaders of the two prominent gun-control groups, are also expected to hold key roles.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are expected to formally announce the new office on Friday afternoon at a White House event, where more details will be provided.
“I really think this is a testament to survivors, impacted communities, pushing for years the administration to do this,” an anonymous source with direct knowledge of the plan told Politico.
So far this year, there have been more than 500 shootings in the U.S. in which four or more people were injured or killed, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Since Biden entered office, gun-control advocates have demanded the president take more executive action on firearms, including the creation of a federal office dedicated to gun-violence prevention. In January, 117 of those groups sent a letter to the White House calling for such an office, among other demands.
In June 2022, Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which increased background checks for gun buyers under 21, and allocated money to states to implement “red flag” laws. It also allocated billions of dollars for mental health and school-safety programs. Proponents touted it as the first gun-control legislation signed into law in about 30 years.