Psaki: Gun control a 'priority,' Biden 'not afraid of standing up' to the NRA

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Biden calls on Congress to 'enact commonsense gun law reforms'

The president makes calls to Congress to ban assault weapons and institute other gun restrictions. Reaction from Antonia Okafor Cover, national spokesperson at Gun Owners of America.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday said gun control is a "priority" for President Biden – and said he is "not afraid of standing up" to the National Rifle Association.

Psaki’s comments came Tuesday during the White House press briefing, when asked about potential gun legislation proposed by the administration.

Psaki said, "We haven’t proposed a package at this point, so it’s hard for me to make a prediction about the likelihood of passing."

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"But I will say that the president is somebody, throughout his career, who has advocated for smart gun, smart gun safety measures," Psaki said. "He is not afraid of standing up to the NRA – he has done it multiple times."

Psaki said gun control is "a priority to him on a personal level."

"I don’t have a prediction for you, or a preview for you on a timeline of a package, and certainly not what it will look like and how it goes through Congress," she maintained.

The NRA recently vowed to oppose any push from Biden: "It will be up to these millions of law-abiding gun owners, and millions of NRA members, to make their voices heard in opposition to any infringement upon their constitutional rights."

Psaki’s comments come after Biden, on the three-year anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., called on Congress to take action.

"This administration will not wait for the next mass shooting to heed that call," Biden said in a White House statement Sunday. "We will take action to end our epidemic of gun violence and make our schools and communities safer."

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He added: "Today, I am calling on Congress to enact commonsense gun law reforms, including requiring background checks on all gun sales, banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and eliminating immunity for gun manufacturers who knowingly put weapons of war on our streets."

"We owe it to all those we’ve lost and to all those left behind to grieve to make a change," Biden said. "The time to act is now."