New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement Wednesday he is “very encouraged” by President Obama’s remarks on the need to reduce gun violence. Bloomberg spoke with Vice President Joe Biden Wednesday morning, the mayor said. Below is Bloomberg’s full statement:
“This morning I spoke with Vice President Biden and offered my full support for his efforts. I was very encouraged by the President’s strong statement and his announcement is an important step in the right direction. The country needs his leadership if we are going to reduce the daily bloodshed from gun violence that we have seen for too long. The task force must move quickly with its work, as 34 Americans will be murdered with guns every day that passes without common sense reforms to our laws. Vice President Biden has long has been a leader on this issue, having chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee for many years, where he helped lead successful efforts to pass laws establishing the criminal background check system and a ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines. Now it is time to fulfill the original promise of those two laws. Meanwhile, while this task force is convening, the President should take immediate steps to protect Americans by making a recess appointment of a new director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; ordering all Federal agencies to send data to the national gun background check database; directing the Justice Department to step up prosecution of people who try to illegally buy guns; and lifting what’s known as the Tiahrt gag order, which keeps the public in the dark about gun traffickers. There should be no delay in taking these steps.”
