5:49 p.m. ET, April 16, 2021
Biden urges Congress to act on gun reform, calling recent violence a "national embarrassment"
From CNN's Josiah Ryan
President Biden urged Congress today to take swift action on gun reform, calling the recent episodes of gun violence that have roiled the nation a "national embarrassment."
"It is a national embarrassment what's going on," said the President, speaking at a joint news conference with Japan's prime minister.
"Every single day, there's a mass shooting in the United States if you count all those who are killed out in the streets of our cities and rural areas," he continued. "It's a national embarrassment and must come to an end."
Responding to a reporter's question, Biden defended his administration's agenda, saying he was able to pursue gun reform even while pushing for a major infrastructure spending focused on repairing the economy.
"I've never stopped supporting the ban on assault weapons and magazines that hold more than 10 bullets," he said. "It doesn't mean I can't also be working at the same time on the economy and on Covid."
Biden then urged the US Senate, which is narrowly controlled by Democrats, to take up House-passed legislation that would require background checks on all gun sales and transfers, among other initiatives.
"It's not a question of my being able to set the agenda in the Senate as to what they will move to first, and so I continue and I strongly, strongly urge my Republican friends in the Congress, who even refuse to bring up the House-passed bill to bring it up now," he said.