Statement from Vice President Harris on the Anniversary of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention

I believe that every person in our nation must have the freedom to live safe from gun violence. That is why President Biden and I have worked to address the epidemic of gun violence with the urgency it demands by enacting the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act – the most significant gun safety law in nearly 30 years – and launching the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.  

In the year since President Biden asked me to oversee the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, our administration has improved and expanded background checks by closing the gun show loophole and implementing enhanced background checks for Americans under the age of 21. We have worked with law enforcement and courts to keep guns out of the hands of abusive dating partners after we narrowed the boyfriend loophole. We are also making progress on distributing the single largest investment in youth mental health in history, $1 billion for schools across the country to hire and train more than 14,000 mental health professionals who can help address the trauma of gun violence. Additionally, our Office has been an unprecedented resource to states, cities, and local communities – launching a Resource Center to help states implement red flag laws, coordinating the first-ever federal interagency response to mass shootings, releasing a Safer States Agenda to help legislators pass commonsense gun safety laws, and helping communities access our historic investments in community violence intervention programs.

Our Office of Gun Violence Prevention has also supported, convened, and worked alongside gun violence survivors, the families of those who have lost loved ones to shootings, and other impacted individuals to tackle the trauma caused by gun violence and share new solutions. As someone who prosecuted homicide cases while District Attorney of San Francisco and worked to get illegal firearms off the streets as Attorney General of California, I know we have more work to do. State legislators and members of Congress must have the courage to act by making background checks universal, passing red flag and safe storage laws, enacting a ban on bump stocks, and renewing the Assault Weapons Ban. Our administration will also continue to implement the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and take additional executive action to support states, cities, and local communities in their efforts to reduce gun violence. Having mourned with families and consoled communities throughout the nation that have been directly impacted by gun violence, I know we do not have a moment or a life to spare.

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