Biden Bits: “Happy Labor Day”…

Biden Tweets Logo. Image by Lenny Ghoul.

It’s Labor Day Monday…

President Biden’s public schedule for 09/04/2023:

5:15 AMSupplemental Pool Call Time
Joint Base Andrews Overhang
5:30 AMOut-of-Town Pool Call Time
Biden Beach House, Rehoboth Beach, DE Out-of-Town Pool
7:15 AM
Leaves Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
The President departs Rehoboth Beach, Delaware en route to Dover, Delaware
Gordons Pond State Park, Rehoboth Beach, DEOut-of-Town Pool
7:45 AM
Leaves Dover, Delaware
The President departs Dover, Delaware en route to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dover Air Force Base, DE
8:15 AM
Arrives in Philadelphia, PA
The President arrives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia International Airport Open Press
9:20 AM
Labor Day Remarks
The President delivers remarks celebrating Labor Day and honoring America’s workers and unions at the Annual Tri-State Labor Day Parade
Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 19, Philadelphia Open Press
10:20 AM
Leaves Philadelphia, PA
The President departs Philadelphia, Pennsylvania en route to en route to New Castle, Delaware
Philadelphia International Airport
10:50 AM
Arrives in New Castle, Delaware
The President arrives in New Castle, Delaware
New Castle National Guard Base
4:45 PMIn-Town Pool Call Time​
The White House In-Town Pool​
5:25 PM
Leaves New Castle, Delaware
The President departs New Castle, Delaware en route to Joint Base Andrews
New Castle National Guard Base
6:15 PM
Leaves Joint Base Andrews
The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route to the White House
Joint Base Andrews
6:25 PM
Arrives at the White House
The President arrives at the White House
South Lawn Open Press

Labor Day Tweets

From Monday…

He gave his remarks early Monday; the YouTube can be found here.

The White House has posted…

A Proclamation on Labor Day, 2023

 I have often said that the middle class built this country and that unions built the middle class.  On Labor Day, we honor that essential truth and the dedication and dignity of American workers, who power our Nation’s prosperity.

They have built the railways, highways, and waterways that connect us from coast to coast, have forged the look and feel of American cities, and have protected our communities and families as first responders.  Organized workers have fundamentally transformed how we live and work in this country — from securing the 8-hour work day and overtime pay to mandating standard safety practices in workplaces and earning better health care, pensions, and other benefits for all workers.

American workers are the best in the world, but over the past few decades, too many leaders embraced an economic theory that failed them and our unions.  It is called trickle-down economics.  It is the belief that we should cut taxes for the wealthy and big corporations and wait for the benefits to trickle down to workers and American families.  It is a belief that we should shrink public investment in infrastructure and public education.  It is a tax policy that encourages corporations to move operations and jobs overseas.

Trickle-down policies slashed investments in people and communities and allowed big corporations to amass more power while limiting the ability of workers to join unions.  It did not matter where companies made things, as long as it helped their bottom line — even if it meant losing the very workers who had helped them succeed.  Companies cut staff, shipped good jobs overseas, prioritized cheap labor, and silenced workers’ voices.  As a result, factories and businesses across the country shut down, entire communities were hollowed out, and for many working people, a path to better their circumstances would never be within reach.  People working as hard as ever could not get ahead because it was harder to buy a home, pay for a college education, start a business, and retire with dignity.  The moment we embraced trickle-down economics, we walked away from who we are and from the way our Nation was built.

I knew our Nation could not continue with those same failed policies, so I came into office determined to build an economy that grows from the middle out and bottom up, not the top down.  And it is working.  We have added over 13 million jobs, including 800,000 manufacturing jobs.  We added more jobs in my first two years than any President in a single 4-year term because we are investing in America and Americans again.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law I signed is a once-in-a-generation investment that puts Americans to work rebuilding our Nation’s infrastructure using American-made materials.  We have announced nearly 37,000 new projects since we passed the bill.  For me, it was a top priority that the overwhelming majority of these investments be covered by Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements to make sure the hundreds of thousands of jobs we create are good-paying jobs.

We passed the CHIPS and Science Act to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to American shores and ensure that the United States leads the world in innovation.  It has attracted over $166 billion in investment and ignited a semiconductor manufacturing boom.  Our Inflation Reduction Act helps build the clean energy industries of the future here at home while incentivizing companies to adopt strong labor standards.  Our American Rescue Plan includes funding to protect over two million union workers, retirees, and their families from benefit cuts to the pensions they have earned.  All of these investments mean good-paying jobs that American workers can raise their families on, many of which do not require a 4-year college degree.

By investing more in Registered Apprenticeships and in career and technical education programs than any previous administration, we are ensuring that every American — from every region and background — can access the training and education needed to participate in our Nation’s economic prosperity.  My Administration is working to crack down on non-compete agreements that keep 30 million Americans from taking new jobs with higher wages in their field.  We are taking action to protect workers’ health and safety from hazards they may be exposed to on the job, such as silica dust and other toxic materials.  And my Administration is empowering American workers and giving working families some breathing room by bringing the cost of prescription drugs and health care down for millions of Americans.

I promised to be the most pro-union President in history, and I firmly believe that every worker in America should have the free and fair choice to join a union or organize and bargain collectively with their employer without coercion or intimidation.  That is because when organized labor wins, our Nation wins.  My Administration will continue to support and encourage labor unions so that workers have a seat at the decision-making table, an opportunity to speak truth to power, and the support to fight for the dignity and respect they deserve.

On Labor Day, we stand in solidarity with all the workers who lift our Nation to new heights and all the labor unions who give all workers power and voice.  May we continue working to restore the American Dream for every person willing to work hard in our Nation by embracing what has always been the foundation of our country’s success:  investing in America and American workers.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 4, 2023, as Labor Day.  I call upon all public officials and people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that honor the energy and innovation of working Americans.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.

White House.gov. 09/01/2023.

FACT SHEET: Ahead of Labor Day, Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces New Actions to Empower Workers— Building on the President’s Historic Support for Workers and Unions

New actions announced this week empower workers to grow the economy from the middle out and the bottom up—a core pillar of Bidenomics

President Biden promised to be the most pro-worker and pro-union President in American history, and he has kept that promise. Support for unions is at its highest level in more than half a century, inflation-adjusted income is up 3.5% since the President took office, and the largest wage gains over the last two years have gone to the lowest-paid workers. The unemployment rate is near a 50-year low, and a greater share of working-age people have a job today than at any other time in more than two decades. Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, all workers—including those who are often left behind in recoveries—are experiencing record-low unemployment rates. 

Under Bidenomics, America is seeing a historic level of public and private investment in manufacturing and new industries that will create good-paying jobs that Americans can raise a family on and build a community around. The President continues to fight to ensure all Americans get fair pay for a hard day’s work and have a free and fair choice to join a union.

In advance of Labor Day, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing new actions this week to empower workers by investing in America’s clean energy workforce, establishing pathways into high-paying and union jobs, demonstrating the benefits of unions, and extending critical wage protections.  These actions include:

White House.gov. 09/01/2023.

Ensuring Clean Energy Investments Support High-Quality and Union Jobs

  • Creating good-paying jobs in clean energy.  The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service published a historic proposed rule to support good-paying jobs and workforce development made possible by incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).  Many of the IRA’s clean energy deployment tax incentives are increased by five times if taxpayers pay workers prevailing wages and use Registered Apprentices. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) provides clarity about how these incentives work, including penalty and correction provisions for those who fail to meet the requirements, and promotes worker-centric practices.  The NPRM also encourages the use of qualifying Project Labor Agreements, which guarantee workers good-paying jobs, help construction contractors finish complex projects on time and on budget, and can establish equitable pathways into construction careers.
  • Supporting a fair and just electric vehicle transition.  The Department of Energy opened applications for the $2 billion Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants program, created by the IRA. The program will provide funding for auto manufacturers transitioning from internal combustion engine vehicles and components to electric vehicles and components. In line with the President’s call for a transition that protects workers, this program will prioritize applications from facilities that are at risk of closing or recently closed and reward applicants that retain existing workers, have strong labor partnerships, pay high wages, and convert facilities while remaining in the same community.  The Department of Energy Loan Programs Office is also facilitating access to $10 billion in capital for auto factory conversions.  The Office plans to prioritize the review of applications for projects in locations with a long history of auto manufacturing and demonstrate strong workforce practices and labor standards.

Strengthening electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chains and supporting high-quality jobs, including for auto workers.  The Department of Energy is releasing a second-round Notice of Intent for $3.5 billion for the Battery Manufacturing grant programs under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  The program will help expand domestic manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles and the nation’s grid, as well as for battery materials and components currently imported from other countries.  This Notice of Intent outlines the direction for the next phase of the program, which will support communities with experienced auto workers and a history of producing vehicles, applicants with strong workforce practices, and applicants who plan to create high-quality jobs.

White House.gov. 09/01/2023.

Demonstrating the Union Advantage

  • Conducting analysis on how unions benefit the economy.  The Department of the Treasury released a first-of-its-kind report that finds that unions help grow the economy by reducing inequality, raising incomes, increasing savings (including retirement savings), and broadening homeownership.  According to the report, which was released as part of the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment chaired by Vice President Kamala Harris, union members make higher wages and are more likely to earn critical benefits like retirement, health care, child care, life insurance, and sick leave.  The report also finds that all workers—even non-union workers and workers who have been laid off—experience gains from greater unionization.

Extending Overtime Protections

  • Proposing new rules that would provide millions of workers with overtime protections.  The Department of Labor released a proposed rule to increase the overtime salary threshold from under $36,000 per year to roughly $55,000 per year.  Under this proposal, more salaried employees making less than $55,000 per year and working more than 40 hours a week would receive at least one and one-half times their regular rates of pay for the overtime hours they work.  The proposed rule would extend overtime pay to as many as 3.6 million hardworking Americans.

These actions build on historic support for workers and unions since Day One of the Biden-Harris Administration, including:

Increasing Wages

  • Raising wages for construction workers. In August, the Department of Labor (DOL) published a final rule updating the Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage standards for the first time in nearly 40 years.  The rule affects more than one million workers constructing $200 billion in federally funded or assisted projects, who will receive higher wages over time.  Nearly all of the significant construction programs contained in President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act require or provide strong incentives for the use of Davis-Bacon prevailing wages—which ensures even more workers will benefit from DOL’s new rule.
  • Protecting workers’ pay.  The Biden-Harris Administration has recovered more than $690 million for more than 440,000 low-paid workers across the nation.  The Administration enforces laws that protect these workers from being victims of wage theft and exploitation when they were not paid minimum wages or hard-earned overtime wages, were denied their tips, or were misclassified as independent contractors.

Supporting Workers’ Right to Organize

  • Empowering workers through education.  Recently, the Department of Labor relaunched the Worker Organizing Resource and Knowledge (WORK) Center.  The WORK Center is the federal government’s premiere online resource center providing information about labor unions and their importance to workers and communities.  While more than half of non-union workers say they want a union, only about 10 percent of these workers say they know how to form one.  The WORK Center meets the needs of workers who are seeking more information about their labor rights and lack experience in organizing.
  • Disclosing when federal contractors hire union avoidance advisors.  In July, the Department of Labor published a final regulation updating the LM-10 form, a form that employers must file disclosing whether they pay consultants to persuade workers concerning their organizing and collective bargaining rights or to surveil activities of employees and unions involved in labor disputes. The rule newly requires private-sector employers to indicate whether they are federal contractors or subcontractors, promoting transparency for workers and the federal government into whether contractors hire anti-union consultants. 

Expanding Workforce Development

  • Making historic investment in Registered Apprenticeships.  All Americans should have a pathway to good-paying jobs, which is why the Biden-Harris Administration invested a historic $285 million in Registered Apprenticeships in fiscal year (FY) 2023 and, in July, awarded more than $65 million in grants to 45 states to expand and diversify Registered Apprenticeships in high-demand industries.  The Administration also launched the Apprenticeship Ambassadors Initiative to amplify the Registered Apprenticeship model with private- and public-sector employers.
  • Launching Investing in America Workforce Hubs.In May, the Biden-Harris Administration launched new initiatives to train and connect more workers to the good-paying jobs—including union jobs—created by the President’s Investing in America investments. Through the Workforce Hubs Initiative, the Administration is partnering with local officials, employers, unions, community colleges, and other stakeholders to ensure a diverse and skilled workforce is ready to meet the demand for labor driven by historic public and private investments in five Hubs—Phoenix, Columbus, Baltimore, Augusta, and Pittsburgh.

Fostering Equal Employment Opportunities

  • Increasing access to good construction jobs for underrepresented workers.  In March, the Department of Labor launched the Mega Construction Project (Megaproject) Program, initially designating as Megaprojects 12 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded projects across the country. The Megaprojects Program provides free, continuous, on-the-ground assistance to help construction project owners, contractors, and unions ensure equal employment opportunities for underrepresented workers. Also in March, the Department of Labor announced a $20 million cooperative agreement with TradesFutures for the Scaling Apprenticeship Readiness Across the Building Trades Initiative, in partnership with the National Urban League.  This first-of-its-kind initiative aims to substantially increase the number of participants from underrepresented populations and underserved communities in Registered Apprenticeship programs in the construction industry.
  • Expanding access to child care and long-term care. In April, President Biden issued an Executive Order with more than 50 actions to increase access to high-quality care and better support caregivers. The Executive Order directs all cabinet-level agencies with federal job-creation funds—including from his Investing in America agenda—to consider requiring or encouraging grantees to use funds for supportive services, including child care and long-term care, to the maximum extent allowable. This action will help ensure underserved workers can enroll in, remain in, and complete training, and transition to good jobs, including union jobs. This builds on the first-of-its-kind requirement that employers seeking significant federal funds under the CHIPS and Science Act provide a concrete plan to help their employees access affordable child care, enabling more parents from local communities to access good-paying jobs. 


“Bidenomics” Tweets

From Friday…

The YouTube is 12 minutes and 51 seconds. His full remarks can be found here.

Look — look at where we are now.  Just this morning, we learned that the economy created 190,000 jobs last month.  All told, we’ve added 13.5 million jobs since I took office — around 800,000 of them manufacturing jobs.  We created more jobs in two years than any president ever created in a four-year — single four-year term.  We did it in two years.

White House.gov. 09/01/2023.

As we head into Labor Day, we ought to take a step back and take note of the fact that America is now in one of the strongest job-creating periods in our history — in the history of our country.

White House.gov. 09/01/2023.

Let me close with this.  We’ve faced some pretty tough times in recent years.  A pandemic that took more than a million of our friends and neighbors.  A million fewer people sitting at our dining room or kitchen tables.  People we raised and loved.  People we grew up with.  Gone.  The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  It wasn’t that long ago that 20 million Americans were out of work. 

But the American people didn’t give up.  They never give up.  They’ve never given up. 

And today, we have the strongest economy in the world, the lowest inflation rate among the major economies, 13.5 million new jobs.

White House.gov. 09/01/2023.

Now, unemployment — the unemployment rate has been below 14 [4] percent for the last 19 months, the longest stretch in over 50 years.

White House.gov. 09/01/2023.

First, we proposed a new rule to extend overtime pay from — for up to 3.6 million workers across the country — additional 3.6 million.

And here’s why that matters: Until now, salaried workers who were not paid by the hour were often not guaranteed overtime pay unless they made less than $36,568 [$35,568] a year.  That was the threshold.

If you were a fast-food manager or made even one dollar more in salary, you were not guaranteed overtime pay even if you worked an additional 40-hour week.

The new rules we proposed this year — this week raised that threshold to $55,000 a year.

White House.gov. 09/01/2023.

From Sunday

On 08/29/2023 the White House posted…

FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces First Ten Drugs Selected for Medicare Price Negotiation

The 10 drugs…

Drug Name
Eliquis
Jardiance
Xarelto
Januvia
Farxiga
Entresto
Enbrel
Imbruvica
Stelara
Fiasp; Fiasp FlexTouch; Fiasp PenFill;
NovoLog; NovoLog FlexPen; NovoLog PenFill

The proposed new rule by the Labor Department that would restore and extend overtime protections can be found here.

August’s Jobs Report can be found here.

American Rescue Plan (03/11/2021).
Bipartisan Infrastructure Act (11/15/2021).
Inflation Reduction Act (08/16/2022).
CHIPS and Science Act (08/09/2022).


Hurricane Idalia Tweets

From Friday…

The video is 28 seconds long. It was filmed on 08/31/2023 during his surprise visit to FEMA Headquarters in Washington, D.C..

President Biden: Thank you. I don’t know whether you realize just how much hope you’re giving people. I really mean it. When they go through these kinds of things what they’re looking for is just hope. They need hope. And you give them hope. Think of all the people that not only lost property but in Maui lost lives–or don’t know whether or not someone they adored or loved husband, wife, son, daughter is alive. So thank you, thank you, thank you.

From Saturday…

The YouTube is 16 minutes and 53 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.

Jill and I spent time with the incredible first responders and folks who ran toward the danger instead of away from the danger when this storm was coming and when it hit.  And — and with their families whose — the families whose lives have been upended.  We didn’t get to meet everybody, but we met a lot. 

[snip]

Families pulling — piecing their lives back together, but through it all — you’ve seen it and the press has seen it too — neighbors helping neighbors.  I mean really, genuinely neighbors helping neighbors with determination and optimism. 

White House.gov. 09/02/2023.

Folks, when I took office, I directed my team to raise our game in how to lead and coordinate our response to national disasters.  I met people here today that — that are — and when they need our help the most, there’s a reason why we’ve done it.  Just look around this community and every other community you followed me to.

Folks, to not only meet the people where they are when they need help the most but to build back — to build back stronger and more resilient.

White House.gov. 09/02/2023.

I’m here today to deliver a clear message to the people of Florida and throughout the Southeast. As I told your governor: If there is anything your state needs, I’m ready to mobilize that support — anything they need related to these storms.  Your nation has your back, and we’ll be with you until the job is done. 

White House.gov. 09/02/2023.

From Sunday…

The video clip is 1 minute and 5 seconds long.

Here in — here in Live Oak, massive trees — as we — I just was referring — were uprooted from intense hurricane-force winds.  Flooding and severe damage of homes and businesses

[snip]

Jill and I spent time with the incredible first responders and folks who ran toward the danger instead of away from the danger when this storm was coming and when it hit.  And — and with their families whose — the families whose lives have been upended.  We didn’t get to meet everybody, but we met a lot. 

[snip]

Senator Rick Scott, who was with me today, I want to thank him for his cooperation and his help.  And he shares the view I do about FEMA: They’re doing an incredible job
 
But the work, in a sense, is just beginning.  We got a lot of work to do
 
And all the officials from Florida, I want to thank them.

[snip]

I’m here today to deliver a clear message to the people of Florida and throughout the Southeast. As I told your governor: If there is anything your state needs, I’m ready to mobilize that support — anything they need related to these storms. Your nation has your back, and we’ll be with you until the job is done.

White House.gov. 09/02/2023.

The video clip is 24 seconds long. He tells a group of people for giving people hope not only during an incident but long after.


Poet in Paradise Tweet

From Saturday…

Show more =’s joy, using his gift to bring people together. Jill and I send our love to his wife of 46 years, Jane; to their children, Savannah, Sarah, and Cameron; to their grandchildren; and to the millions of fans who will continue to love him even as his ship now sails for new shores.

His full statement:

A poet of paradise, Jimmy Buffett was an American music icon who inspired generations to step back and find the joy in life and in one another.

His witty, wistful songs celebrate a uniquely American cast of characters and seaside folkways, weaving together an unforgettable musical mix of country, folk, rock, pop, and calypso into something uniquely his own.

We had the honor to meet and get to know Jimmy over the years, and he was in life as he was performing on stage – full of goodwill and joy, using his gift to bring people together.

Over more than 50 studio and live albums and thousands of performances to devoted Parrot Heads around the world, Jimmy reminded us how much the simple things in life matter – the people we love, the places we’re from, the hopes we have on the horizon.

A two-time Grammy nominee and winner of multiple country music awards, he was also a best-selling writer, businessman, pilot, and conservationist who championed the waters and Gulf Coast that he so loved.

Jill and I send our love to his wife of 46 years, Jane; to their children, Savannah, Sarah, and Cameron; to their grandchildren; and to the millions of fans who will continue to love him even as his ship now sails for new shores.

White House.gov. 09/02/2023.

The Night Owl says goodbye to Jimmy Buffett…


Campaign-ish Tweets

From Sunday…

The White House posted…

FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Takes Another Life-Saving Step to Keep Guns Out of Dangerous Hands

In March, President Biden signed an Executive Order directing the Attorney General to move as close to universal background checks as possible within existing law. Today, as a result of the Executive Order and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the Department of Justice is taking life-saving action to reduce the number of guns sold without background checks and keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Why the Biden-Harris Administration is Taking Action

Since 1994, federal law has required federally licensed firearms dealers to run background checks prior to selling or transferring a weapon. These background checks have helped keep guns out of the hands of more than three million felons, convicted domestic abusers, and other dangerous individuals. However, despite the law, individuals who should be licensed dealers have refused to obtain a license, skirting the background check requirement.

Last year, Congress passed and President Biden signed into law bipartisan legislation to help address this dangerous problem by modifying the definition of who has to become a federally licensed firearms dealer. Members of Congress—both Democrats and Republicans—made clear that they intended for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to better protect the American people from gun violence by clarifying when someone is supposed to become a licensed firearms dealer.

New Action to Keep Guns Out of Dangerous Hands

Today, the Justice Department has announced a proposed rule to specify what exactly the new definition in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act means on the ground. If finalized, this proposed rule would mean the following for people who are not selling guns in order to make money: If you have a gun you no longer need, and you want to sell it to your family member, you do not need a license to sell it. If you buy and sell curios or relics or “collectible” personal firearms as a hobby, again, you do not need a license. But, if you are offering a firearm for sale to make money, and telling a customer that you can purchase and sell him additional firearms, you would presumptively need a license—and need to run background checks. The same is true if you repetitively offer for resale firearms within 30 days of when you purchased them. The proposed rule includes a number of other situations where, in civil and administrative proceedings and absent reliable evidence to the contrary, it will be presumed that you need a license.

Specifically, the proposed rule, if finalized, would clarify that an individual would be presumed to be “engaged in the business” of dealing in firearms—and therefore be required to become a licensed firearms dealer and run background checks—if they meet certain conditions. For example, under the proposed rule, a person would be presumed to be required to become a licensed dealer and run background checks if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

White House.gov. 08/31/2023.
  • Offer for sale any number of firearms and also represents to potential buyers that they are willing and able to purchase and sell them additional firearms;
  • Repetitively offer for sale firearms within 30 days after they were purchased;
  • Repetitively offer for sale firearms that are like new in their original packaging;
  • Repetitively offer for sale multiple firearms of the same make and model; or
  • As a formerly federally-licensed firearms dealer, sell firearms that were in the business inventory and not transferred to a personal collection at least a year before the sale, addressing the so-called “fire sale loophole.”

The proposed rule would also clarify that, for civil or administrative actions, an individual would be presumed to have the intent to “predominantly earn a profit”—one of the elements of engaging in the business of dealing firearms—if the person engages in activities such as:

White House.gov. 08/31/2023.
  • Creating a website or making business cards to advertise or market a firearms business;
  • Maintaining records to document and track profits and losses from firearms purchases or sales; or
  • Purchasing business insurance or renting space at a gun show.

The proposed rule would make clear that there is no “gun show loophole” or “internet loophole” in federal law. Dealers who engage in the business of selling guns are required to obtain a license and run background checks no matter where they engage in the business of buying and selling firearms. That include at gun shows and over the Internet.

The proposed rule is now open for public comment.  The Department of Justice will consider the comments it receives in deciding on a final rule.

Continuing to Call on Congress to Act

This rule is a significant step toward reducing the percentage of firearms sold for profit without background checks. It builds on previous Biden-Harris Administration actions to save lives and combat the epidemic of gun violence.

However, to fully address this problem, Congress must act. The President continues to call on Congress to enact universal background checks legislation, as well as other commonsense legislation to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of guns, and end immunity from liability for gun manufacturers. These are life-saving measures that the vast majority of Americans and gun owners support to protect our Country from the threat of gun violence.

White House.gov. 08/31/2023.

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About Tiff 2832 Articles
Member of the Free Press who is politically homeless and a political junkie.