LIVE: Biden Delivers Remarks at Everytown’s Gun Sense University 2024-06-11 18:41

Hello everyone. My name, my name is Javonja McDowell. I'm from Atlanta, Georgia. I'm a proud Navy mother, an Army wife, a woman of faith, and a Moms Demand Action volunteer. On March the 7th, 2016, we celebrate celebrated my son Juwan's 14th birthday. Juwan was truly something to celebrate. He was caring, sweet, and well-mannered. Something I like to take credit for. I often called him Bud because he was my rosebud. A rosebud signifies beauty and purity. But on April the 7th, 2016, one month after his birthday, my beautiful bud Juwan was shot and killed by another team playing with an unsecured firearm. I never imagined when I spoke with my child on the phone just hours before, it would be the last time that I would hear my baby's voice. As adults, we're responsible for keeping our children safe and that's why I am here today. No parent should ever have to get the phone call that their child has been shot and killed. No young person should ever have to grow in fear of being shot and killed. None of us deserve to live like this. But today, I feel hopeful. It means everything to me to know that I have a president who understands the importance of preventing what happened to me from happening to others. His leadership on gun safety honors Juwan and the countless people who have been taken by senseless gun violence in this country. We last shared a stage together at an Everytown Forum in 2019 and I can say today, standing here right now, he stood true to his word on the urgency of creating a safer future for families like mine and yours and all across the country. And his lifelong dedication to a safer America means that together, we are working to protect our families and communities from preventable pain and tragedy. I am proud to stand with him and it's now my greatest honor to introduce him. Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States, Joe Biden. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Please have a seat. Joe, I know from experience it takes extraordinary courage for you to stand up here and tell your son's story. Many of you who have lost someone to gun violence. It's been a passion of mine for a long, long time. Way back, a long time ago, I authored the Violence Against Women Act. No one thought it made any sense at the time. I had a lot of trouble getting people to think we could make a difference. But the fact of the matter is, I remember well when you first started on it. It's extraordinary courage. You know, through your words, we help ensure that your son and all the victims of gun violence are not forgotten. They didn't die in vain. Through your love, you help prevent the next tragedy and save lives. Through your actions, you remember us who will never let go of one thing that we must never, never lose. And I mean this. I know it's hard, but I've gotten those phone calls too many times. Guess what? Never give up on hope. I give you my word. I know what that feels, that black hole when you receive that phone call. It seems like your black hole in your chest is being sucked into it. Just showing up here with all the work you've done takes some courage because it reminds you the moment you got that phone call. It reminds you no matter how long it goes. It's hard, but you're so, you're making such a difference. The main reason I'm here is to say, I mean this from the bottom of my heart. Come on, now. Folks, to every town and all the leaders and advocates here today, I want to thank you for the dedication to this vital issue you've shown. And all the survivors, veterans, families, moms, who have turned their pain and your purpose into the loss you determined to not focus on your anger, but on what you can do. Look, folks, you've held power movement that is turning this cause into reality, especially young people who demanded our nation do better and protect us all, who protested, who organized, who voted, who ran for office, and yes, who marched for their lives. From my perspective, today is about celebrating you. You're the reason I'm so optimistic about the future of our country, and I mean that. In two weeks, we'll mark the second anniversary of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. It's the most significant gun legislation in nearly 30 years. We passed it only because you went out and worked like hell to get it done. You may have the idea, but you got it made, and you made it happen. It was designed to reduce gun violence and save lives, and I'm so proud of the tremendous progress you've made since then. You know, the year before I came to the presidency, the murder rate was the highest increase on record. Last year, we saw the largest decrease in murder in the history of America. And those rates are continuing to fall faster than ever. Last year, we also saw one of the lowest rates of all violent crime in nearly 50 years. Murder, rape, aggravated assault, robbery all dropped sharply, along with burglary and property crimes. This matters. So much of this progress is because, and I'm not just trying to be solicitous, it's because of you. Don't underestimate what you've done. It's amazing what you've done. You've changed people's minds, your neighbors, your friends, the folks down at the restaurant, the folks at the grocery store. Through the American Rescue Plan, I was able to invest $15 billion, the largest investment ever, to reduce crime. And we build on that progress with your help through the bipartisan Safer Communities Act. And here's how. First, the act is helping reduce community violence and domestic violence. It invests $250 million in violence intervention programs all across the country. People are now, my daughter is a social worker working on violence against women. What people don't realize is these things matter. They change. They change attitudes. We've already funded nearly 80 programs in the county. It also makes gun trafficking and straw purchasing a federal crime for the first time, giving prosecutors a legal tool to charge traffickers and hold them accountable for the more severe penalties that are available. Additionally, the law strengthens background checks for anyone under the age of 21 trying to purchase a firearm. And it's about time. There's more we have to do there. It's a big deal. Since the law was passed and implemented, the FBI stopped more than 700 sales of firearms for individuals under the age of 21, and about 20,000 unlicensed firearms dealers are now required to become licensed to run background checks, which will keep guns out of dangerous hands. Second, the act helps stop mass shootings, provides $750 million to states to implement the crisis intervention, like red flag laws that temporarily remove firearms from those who are endangering themselves or others. It also gives $1.3 billion to thousands of schools across the country to build a safer learning environment, including updating safety plans, installing security equipment, hiring mental health professionals and school resource officers. I'm married to a full-time teacher. I get it. As well as violent intervention teams. Folks, look. Third, the act invests over $1 billion, the largest one-time investment ever in youth mental health in our schools. Help them deal with grief and trauma resulting in gun violence. I've attended too many mass shootings. I've gone to too many schools across America and stood there and looked at the faces of those young children who were maimed. And look at all the families that lost somebody. It's tragic. But they need help. They need help. It includes an additional 14,000 mental health professionals to be hired and trained in our schools to work in our schools full-time. That's 14,000 more. And over 170,000 Americans across the country have been trained to identify when someone is having a mental health crisis, connect them to the help they need. By the way, one of the reasons I wrote the latest veterans bill was because more veterans and more active-duty personnel are dying of suicide than any combat film. It matters. And folks, this historic law is already saving lives. But there's still so much more to do to maximize the benefits to the bipartisan Safer Communities Act. That's why last September, I established the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. We got first-rate professionals there and overseen by my incredible vice president, who's a pretty fierce prosecutor as well, to drive and coordinate government in a nationwide effort to reduce gun violence in America. That's why we did it, to send a clear message about how important this issue is to me, to you, and to the entire country. Folks, you're changing the nation. You really are. You're changing the nation. It builds upon the dozens of executive actions my administration has taken to reduce gun violence, more than any of my predecessors, and I suspect more than all of them combined. Everything from cracking down on ghost guns, gun trafficking, and so much more. Folks, we're not stopping there. It's time once again to do what I did when I was a senator. Ban assault weapons. Who in God's name needs a magazine that can hold 200 shells? Nobody. That's right. I remember when I was campaigning, when I was a senator, going through the wetlands of Delaware to meet all the people who were most upset with me. The fishermen and the hunters. And I came across a guy who was fishing and he said, you want to take my gun? And I looked at him and I said, I don't want to take your gun. You're allowed to have a gun, but I want to take away your ability to use an assault weapon. And no, no. This is how the conversation went. He said, what do you mean I need that gun? I said, guess what? If you need 12 to 100 bullets in a gun and a magazine, you're the lousiest shot I've ever heard. And to his credit, he looked at me and said, you have a good point. But think about it. They're weapons of war. And by the way, it's time we establish universal background checks. By the way, I require the safe storage of firearms. We should hold. We should hold families responsible if they don't provide those locks on those guns. In fact, because three of these major crime scenes I've visited were ones where the mother or father left open, left stuff out on the desk, left it out on the table, and the kid came and used it. And by the way, this is most important. The only industry in America that has immunity are gun deals. We got to end it. End it now. No, I mean it. Imagine. Imagine if we gave tobacco an exception, they could not be prosecuted. What would happen? We'd still have a thousand more people be dying of cancer because of smoking. It's time to increase funding for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives and other law enforcement agencies as well. To solve the crimes faster. Look, unfortunately. It's the only part of the thing I'm going to say. The Congressional Republicans oppose all of these, every one of these. Instead of trying to stop our ban on ghost gun kits that contain these things. They're trying to stop it. They want to abolish the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives. They're responsible for fighting gun crime. You can't be pro-law enforcement and say you are pro-law enforcement and be pro-abolishing the AFT. You can't do it. It's outrageous. I disagree with some of my own party and on the other side about a lot of things. I think at least there's some rational argument they have as part of their argument. What in God's name is the rationale for taking away the alcohol, tobacco, and firearms? After a school shooting in Iowa that killed a student and a teacher, my predecessor was asked about it. You remember what he said. He said, have to get over it. Hell no, we don't have to get over it. We got to stop it. We got to stop it and stop it now. More children are killed in America by guns than cancer and car accidents combined. My predecessor told the NRA convention recently. He's proud to quote, I did nothing on guns when I was president. And by doing nothing, he made the situation considerably worse. That's why every town, why this summit, why all of you here today are so damn important. We need you. We need you to overcome the unrelenting opposition of the gun lobby, gun manufacturers, so many politicians, when they oppose common sense gun legislation. I used to be a law, when I was no longer the vice president, I became a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Before that, I taught a constitutional law class. And so I taught the second amendment. There's never been a time that says you can own anything you want. Never. You couldn't own a cannon during the Civil War. No, I'm serious. Think about it. How many of you hear this phrase? The blood of liberty. Wash your dog. Give me a break. No, I mean it. Seriously. And by the way, if they want to think to take on government, if we get out of line, which they're talking again about. Guess what? They need F-15s. They don't need rifles. Folks, look, this is crazy what we're talking about. Because whether we're Democrats or Republicans, we want our families to be safe. We all want to drop them off at a house of worship, a mall, a movie theater, a school, without worrying it's the last time I'm going to get to see them. We all want. We all want our kids to have the freedom to learn how to read and write in schools instead of learn how to duck and cover, for God's sake. And above all. Above all, we all agree. We are not finished. Look. No single. No single action can solve the entirety of a gun violence epidemic. But together, our efforts, your efforts are saving lives. You can help rally a nation with a sense of urgency and seriousness of purpose. You're changing the culture. And we've proven we can do more than just thoughts and prayers. Less more than thoughts and prayers. You're changing politics. You're proving that you're powerful and you're relentless. And I mean that. Let me close with this. I know many people here have been impacted by gun violence and are tired and frustrated. I know. I've been to too many. I've literally spoken to well over a thousand families at these events that I've attended. Mass shootings. I'm looking in their eyes. I can almost. I can almost feel that black hole they feel in the center of their chest. It's sucked in. There's no way out. They have remaining children. You look at the children. I wonder. Mommy, Daddy. How about me? I know you may wonder. Are we ever going to make full progress? We need to make. I'm here to tell you. We have no choice. We cannot give up trying. All the lives lost and all those who are still there to save. We're going to get there. I have no illusions about how difficult it may be. But I also have no illusions about the people in this room. We're changing the attitude of the public. I really mean it. I'm going back to why I got here in the first place. I have to say thank you. We can come up. I can come up with all these ideas about the laws we can change to make it easier. But you're changing people's lives. You're convincing your neighbors and people this is necessary. It's beginning to move. What we've already done around the community. Look at the movement you've built. The elected officials standing with you. Look at all the mothers' organizations across the country. When there's a crisis, half what people affected by a crisis have to know is anybody listening. Can you hear me? Can you hear what we're saying? Listen to the young people who are speaking now. That's the power of the memory of your loved ones. That's the power of this movement. That's the power of America. We just have to keep going and keep the faith. Remember who we are. We are the United States of America. And there's nothing beyond our capacity when we act and do it together. So God bless you all. And may God protect you too. Thank you. Keep it up.