A key omission was the proposal to raise the minimum age for the rifle market to 21 – in line with current arms limits. There are no provisions for the revival of the US arms embargo from 2994 to 2004. Mr Biden also called for a ban on large-capacity missiles and mandatory safe storage of firearms.
“There are no excuses for delay”
However, Biden said he would sign the proposals quickly. “With bipartisan support, there are no excuses for the delay and no reason why it should not be passed quickly by the Senate and Parliament,” he said. “Every day that passes, more children are being killed in this country: the sooner it comes to my office, the sooner I can sign it and the sooner we can use these measures to save lives. “Obviously, it does not do what I think is needed, but it reflects important steps in the right direction and would be the most important gun safety legislation to be passed in Congress in decades.” Last week, the US House of Representatives passed a more comprehensive arms control bill that, despite the support of five Republicans, had little chance of clearing the evenly divided Senate.
