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Transcript/ScriptBIDEN-GUN CONTROL
HEADLINE: Biden Renews Federal Push Against Gun Violence
TEASER: Measures include crackdown on untraceable firearms, or so-called ghost guns
PUBLISHED: 2/3/2022, 7:18 p.m.
BYLINE: Patsy Widakuswara
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Reifenrath, Mia Bush, DJones
CONTRIBUTOR:
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, AFP, Skype
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:15
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TV
EDITOR NOTES: Radio track included.))
((INTRO: ))
[[ President Joe Biden traveled to New York City on Thursday to highlight a new push by his administration to combat gun violence and crime, including a crackdown on untraceable firearms, so-called ghost guns. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report.]]
((NYPD on crime scene, AFP V000_9WT87W))
((NARRATOR))
New York City has seen a spike in gun violence recently, prompting Mayor Eric Adams to ask for help.
((AFP V000_9WT87W, TC 3:00))
((Eric Adams, New York City Mayor))
"We're all witnesses. We have witnessed these murders and we have witnessed the failure on a federal level to stop the flow of guns to the city."
((Biden departure, AP 4364364, Various Biden at NYPD, AP 4364408))
((NARRATOR))
On Thursday, President Joe Biden visited the New York Police Department to address cracking down on illegal guns.
((AP 4364408))
((President Joe Biden))
"Today, the attorney general directed all U.S. attorneys in the United States to prioritize combating gun trafficking across state lines and city boundaries."
((Various 3D guns, don’t use the person’s face, AFP V000_VID1219063_EN))
((NARRATOR))
The administration launched the National Ghost Gun Enforcement Initiative, which aims to clamp down on homemade firearms lacking serial numbers that can be traced.
((Guns on display, guns with officers on background, AFP V000_9P77R8))
((NARRATOR))
It's cracking down on the “iron pipeline,” the illegal flow of guns sold in the South, transported up the East Coast and found at crime scenes in big cities like New York.
((Guns at gun show/ store, AFP V000_VID1199220_EN))
((NARRATOR))
Americans have the right to own firearms, with limitations determined by states. With Republican opposition, prospects for federal legislation controlling guns are dim — leaving Biden with only executive options. While such actions are applauded by gun control activists, some analysts have doubts.
((Radio track: Clark Neily, senior vice president for legal studies at the Cato Institute, via Skype.))
((https://app.frame.io/player/68dd63ad-6e95-46fb-90e2-72e81f9d066a TC 2:12))
((Clark Neily, Cato Institute)) ((Skype))
(1:14) “The federal government has a track record of being extremely ineffective when it comes to trying to combat issues that are properly none of its business, things like drug prohibition, and trying to observe what we call police power at the local level. These are activities that are neither committed to the federal government by our Constitution nor are they things that the federal government has proven to be very good at.”
((Biden with cops))
((Various Biden at NYPD, AP 4364408))
((NARRATOR))
Biden’s visit is also meant to dispel criticism from Republicans that he hasn’t been tough enough on crime. He rejected the “defund the police” message pushed by some progressive members of his Democratic Party.
((AP 4364408))
((President Joe Biden))
“We're not about defunding. We're about funding and providing the additional services you need beyond someone with a gun strapped to their shoulder, to their hip. We need more social workers, we need more mental health workers.”
((Biden tour, video to come))
((NARRATOR))
Biden stopped by a school to discuss community violence intervention programs with local leaders.
Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, Washington
NewsML Media TopicsPolitics, Crime, Law and Justice, Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Topic TagsBiden Renews Federal Push Against Gun Violence
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateFebruary 3, 2022 20:09 EST
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
