President Biden on Wednesday outlined steps the executive branch is taking to curb crime at a time when cities are seeing spikes in homicides, highlighting …
President Biden on Wednesday outlined steps the executive branch is taking to curb crime at a time when cities are seeing spikes in homicides, highlighting ways in which money from his signature economic relief bill can be repurposed to reduce violence. “For folks at home, the American Rescue Plan, which is a once in a generation investment to reduce violence in America. I’m proud of it. It means more police officers, more nurses, more counselors, more social workers, more community violence interrupters to help resolve issues before they escalate into crimes,” Biden said in remarks from the State Dining Room. “It means we go after the people who flood our streets with guns, and the bad actors who decide to use them to further terrorize the communities,” he added. “It means saving lives, and Congress should in no way take away this funding that has already been appropriated.” Biden reiterated his call for Congress to pass an expansion of background checks for firearm purchases and a federal ban on assault weapons to curb gun violence, despite little progress on those policies in a gridlocked Washington. “I never give up hope,” Biden said when asked after his speech about the prospect of new gun laws. Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland also met with a group of local law enforcement officials, community leaders and other White House officials to discuss their efforts, a sit-down that lasted longer than expected Wednesday afternoon ahead of Biden’s speech. Biden faces a balancing act in laying out his agenda on crime. He’s looking to distance himself from calls by some progressives to « defund the police » to insulate himself from Republican attacks, while also drawing a contrast with former President Trump ‘s divisive and inflammatory rhetoric that included chastising protesters while framing himself as a tough-on-crime candidate. “It’s not being soft or tough on crime. We have to be smart on crime. We have to do the things that we know work,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D) told reporters following Wednesday’s meeting when asked about Republican efforts to brand Democrats as weak on crime. New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal (D) described the Republican narrative “completely lazy and inaccurate,” noting that officials in New Jersey have invested in law enforcement.
