Statement from President Joe Biden on Record Declines in Crime

When Vice President Harris and I took office, our nation had just seen the highest increase in murders ever recorded under the previous Administration. Immediately, we got to work – passing the American Rescue Plan that led to the largest ever federal investment in public safety. Today, new data submitted to the FBI confirms again that Americans are safer than when we took office. In 2023, according to the data, our nation saw the largest ever one-year decrease in the homicide rate, which is now 16% below its level in 2020. Violent crime also declined again and is at a near 50-year low. In 2024, this progress is continuing, with notable decreases in crime.

None of this happened by accident. Vice President Harris and I invested in public safety and took action to stop the illegal flow of guns into our communities. Our American Rescue Plan – which every Republican in Congress voted against – helped deliver over $15 billion in public safety funding that enabled over 1,000 state, city, and county governments to avoid cuts to police budgets, invest in community violence interventions, and take other essential steps to keep communities safe. I took more executive action on guns than any other President and signed the most significant gun violence legislation in nearly 30 years, which is keeping guns out of dangerous hands by expanding background checks and cracking down on gun traffickers. I established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which is overseen by Vice President Harris, and is making incredible progress in just its first year.

We’re not stopping now. The only way to continue this progress is by investing in what works. That’s why I will continue to urge Congress to fund 100,000 additional police officers and a strong ATF, invest in community violence intervention programs, and make commonsense gun safety reforms, including a ban on assault weapons.

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