We’re relieved to tell you that the Biden-Harris Administration announced on January 25 a series of new executive actions to help promote the safe storage of firearms. The actions implement President Biden’s Executive Order of March 2023, which promoted safe gun storage as a way of reducing gun violence and making our communities safer.
It’s great-big news because safe storage of firearms can physically prevent young people from accessing firearms. Guns that are not safely stored are closely associated with school shootings, youth suicide, unintentional shootings and theft of firearms.
Our thanks to the executive branch
It’s good news that the president has issued these executive actions. With the notable exception of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022, the legislative branch has been unable to pass serious legislation on firearms in decades. That’s why we’re relieved that the executive branch still takes safe storage seriously.
Here are the three actions designed to further promote safe storage and protect children:
- The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) will send a letter to school principals across the country explaining the importance of safe storage. DOE will encourage them to communicate with families and the community about the importance of storing firearms safely to protect students.
- DOE will also issue a new communications template that principals and school leaders can use to explain to parents and families that it’s important to keep firearms stored safely.
- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will release a guide describing different types of safe storage devices and best practices for safely storing firearms. It’s the most comprehensive guide on safe storage that the federal government has ever released.
(Read those bullets again. We’re sorry that safe storage of firearms isn’t common sense in every home, but the Administration is being realistic.)
Have a look at the entire press release from the White House for full details, including other actions the Administration has taken on gun violence and grisly statistics on what happens when guns are not safely stored.
Introduced at a town hall for school principals
To emphasize the role that education leaders can play in helping prevent gun violence, the Administration conducted a town hall at the White House with school principals. Speakers included:
- First Lady Jill Biden (pictured above)
- The director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, Stefanie Feldman
- U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona
Watch a recording of that town hall with the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, the Department of Education and school principals.
Again, we believe that these executive actions are evidence of sensible gun policy at the federal level. The Biden-Harris Administration is building on a record of action to promote safe storage of firearms.
It’s not too soon.