First (And Only?) Steps On Guns

President Biden announced executive actions to prevent gun violence [Harris, Biden and Garland]( Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images The Big Picture: Is More Gun Action Possible? There was a moment at a news conference a couple of weeks ago when President Biden sidestepped a question on whether he would pursue gun restrictions, saying “timing” was most important, and instead talked at length about infrastructure. That drew mixed reactions. Political communications professionals saw it as a disciplined move, a president not getting distracted by the day-to-day news — in this case, another spate of mass shootings. Advocates for tighter gun laws, on the other hand, thought [Biden wasn’t pushing hard enough]( now that there is finally a Democratic president with majorities in Congress, an [NRA that’s in bankruptcy proceedings]( and gun-control groups gaining strength and membership. This week, [Biden took some steps]( with executive actions: - Seeking new regulations: 1. an attempt to crack down on “[ghost guns]( weapons assembled at home that have no serial numbers and have been increasingly identified in crimes in some states; and 2. limit stabilizing braces, which can be used to make AR-15 pistols function more like rifles. - Directing the Justice Department to draft template "red flag" laws for states. Several states have them on the books already. They allow law enforcement and family members to seek court orders to remove firearms from people determined to be a threat to themselves or others. - Asking for an annual report on firearms trafficking from the Justice Department. The last one was completed 21 years ago. - Nominating to head the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms a [gun-control advocate]( David Chipman, who served for 25 years in the ATF. There hasn’t been a Senate-confirmed ATF chief since 2015. Advocates called these important first steps, but said more needed to be done. Still, with a narrowly divided Senate and a Republican Party that criticizes these initial moves as an attempt to “[trample over our constitutional 2A rights]( it’s not easy to see a path forward for more lasting congressional action, even on initiatives like universal background checks, which has wide public support. — Domenico Montanaro, NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [woman gets a vaccine]( Carlos Osorio/AP ICYMI: Top Stories Georgia battery plant: President Biden, who is pushing hard for Americans to purchase more electric vehicles, [has been pulled into a global trade dispute over lithium ion battery factories]( in Georgia. The dispute threatens his electric vehicle goals — and Democrats' success in the state. Supreme Court commission: President Biden is establishing a bipartisan commission [to study possible reforms for the Supreme Court]( including the size of the court and the length of justices' terms. It’s the culmination of a campaign promise Biden made during the 2020 election, when he stated he was opposed to expanding the size of the court but favored a commission to study the issue. Vaccine allocation debate: Currently, the Biden administration allocates COVID-19 vaccines to states based on the number of adults who live there. But some officials are calling on the administration [to send more vaccines to states with surging case numbers](. Family reunification: A Biden administration task force is currently examining [whether the Trump administration began separating children from their families]( at the U.S. border within a few months of former President Donald Trump taking office — much earlier than previously known. The task force has yet to reunite any of the families, but said it is committed to pursuing that goal. Biden budget proposal: President Biden's [initial partial budget proposal includes]( a 40.8% increase in spending on education, a $14 billion increase in spending on climate change and the largest budget increase for the CDC in nearly 20 years. While the numbers released on Friday are just an outline of the Biden administration's priorities for the upcoming fiscal year, they represent an expected return to higher levels of domestic spending under Biden. Virginia legalizes marijuana: Virginia's state legislature passed a bill [legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana](. Under the new law, adults ages 21 and over can possess an ounce or less of marijuana beginning on July 1. — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer --------------------------------------------------------------- [Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes]( Aaron C. Davis/The Washington Post via Getty Images Going Deeper Oath Keepers under scrutiny: Members of the Oath Keepers, a self-styled militia, [are under investigation]( for their alleged involvement in the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6. The group, which was started by Yale Law School graduate Stewart Rhodes, is devoted to recruiting ex-military and police and stretches back to 2009. Vaccine refusal puts herd immunity at risk: Although the administration's vaccine campaign has significantly ramped up in recent weeks, experts worry that [hesitancy will threaten the country’s ability to achieve herd immunity](. One in 4 Americans still say they will not get vaccinated, and with the expected case drop in the summer, scientists worry that the illusion of herd immunity will further discourage vaccination. Amtrak investment: Amtrak would get a major boost from Biden’s infrastructure plan if it passes Congress. The company has released a version of what it expects its expanded map would look like by 2035. The plan includes not only maintenance updates but also new routes between major cities — [and it has people talking](. — Claire Oby, NPR Politics intern --------------------------------------------------------------- [Missouri state capitol]( Jacob Moscovitch for NPR The Shot: A National Battle The nation has largely focused on the controversial voting law passed in Georgia, but in Missouri [another bill with voting restrictions]( has just passed the majority-Republican House. The bill was passed on strict partisan lines and has faced harsh criticism from voting rights activists. NPR's Pam Fessler went to the state to report on its long fight over voting rules. — Claire Oby, NPR Politics intern [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprpolitics@npr.org](mailto:nprpolitics@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Politics emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]