President Joe Biden is expected to announce the formation of a new gun violence prevention office Friday in a move that would apparently seek to bypass Congress to push additional gun control efforts supported by Democrats.
Anticipation for Biden’s Friday announcement has been fueled by four anonymous sources who were reportedly briefed on the president’s action plan and discussed the White House’s plans with The Washington Post.
According to the anonymous sources, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are scheduled to host an event located at the White House Rose Garden on Friday to announce the creation of the new gun violence prevention office.
The anonymous sources told The Washington Post that Rob Wilcox, senior director for federal government affairs at Everytown for Gun Safety, and Greg Jackson, director of the Community Justice Action fund and a gun violence survivor, will have important roles in the new office.
“I really think this is a testament to survivors, impacted communities, pushing for years the administration to do this,” one of the sources with knowledge of Friday’s scheduled announcement told POLITICO.
The anonymous individuals also indicated that the new gun violence prevention office will report through White House Staff Secretary Stefanie Feldman, who has worked previously on the issue of firearms.
According to The Washington Post, Feldman previously worked on the Domestic Policy Council and continues to oversee the White House’s gun policies.
News of Biden’s expected announcement surrounding the gun violence prevention office has been met with applause by gun control advocates.
“If this announcement is, in fact, the creation of a single point of leadership on gun violence in the administration, it’s a very big deal for the movement,” Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, told The Washington Post. “For years, we’ve advocated for a centralized team responsible for coordinating federal and state resources and mobilizing movement partners.”
Watts said the creation of a gun violence prevention office would not only be “symbolic” but would also serve as a “significant turning point for the movement.”
