The fact that the US is still selling semiautomatic weapons is “sick,” Vice President Joe Biden said after the recent mass shooting at a Walmart in Virginia, prompting him to renew his call for a ban on assault weapons.
“We should not still be allowing the purchase of semiautomatic weapons. It’s just sick. It does not contribute anything positive to society. Zero. None. There is no other justification for it besides the financial gain for the gun manufacturer,” He said while visiting a fire station in Nantucket, Massachusetts, on Thursday.
The probability of a ban passing through Congress is almost zero. Now that Republicans are leading the House of Representatives. A filibuster in the Senate needs to be ended by 60 votes. The president argued that wouldn’t stop him from trying, though.
“I’ll try my best. To outlaw assault rifles, “added he.
The remarks follow a string of mass shootings that brought the discussion of gun control back to the fore of public discourse.
Following the murder in Virginia and the shooting spree at a Colorado gay nightclub, proponents of stricter gun laws—such as those calling for a ban on assault weapons like the AR-15—have stepped up their demands.
Biden hasn’t assembled the necessary bipartisan support to get a bill on his desk.
Unions and railroad companies are negotiating a contract agreement to avert a strike. Biden briefly mentioned this but declined to address the problems preventing both sides from reaching an agreement.
Although Biden admitted he hasn’t yet interacted directly, his team is still in touch with all parties.
