President Biden in Monterey Park

President Biden in Monterey Park (Photo – Screengrab)

MONTEREY PARK – ColoradoBoulevard.net:

On Tuesday, March 14, 2023, President Joe Biden visited Monterey Park to meet with families and members of the community impacted by the mass shooting that took place on January 21, 2023, during a Lunar New Year’s Eve celebration at Star Dance Studio.

By News Desk

President Biden was welcomed by dignitaries including the Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Rep. Judy Chu. During his visit, President Biden called for additional federal responses, including an Assault Weapons Ban, enhanced ‘red flag’ implementation, and a coordinated FEMA response to mass shootings, to address the epidemic of gun violence in the United States.

President Joe Biden said:

A tragedy that has pierced the soul of this nation, here in Monterey Park, the San Gabriel Valley, the heart of the Asian American community. I’m here on behalf of the American people, to mourn with you, to pray with you, to let you know you’re loved and not alone.

I’m with you here today to act…Let’s be clear: none of [what’s in my executive order] absolves Congress from the responsibility of acting—to pass universal background checks, eliminate gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability. I am determined once again to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

In her introductory remarks for the President, Rep. Judy Chu said: “I’ve met with the victims’ families, and I’ve come to understand how special the victims were. They were mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters. They were all Asian American immigrants from China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan, and the Philippines who worked hard to build lives here. They did not deserve to be taken from us.”

“So, President Biden, thank you for meeting with the victims’ families, as well as the wounded, and consoling them. Thank you for being with us today in an ultimate act of healing. Thank you for letting us know that we are not alone,” Rep. Chu concluded. “And thank you for continuing to raise your voice for measures in your gun violence executive order. We need this so that no other community has to go through what we’ve gone through.”

The President’s new Executive Order to reduce gun violence includes increasing the number of background checks conducted before firearm sales, moving the U.S. as close to universal background checks as possible without additional legislation.