The Biden administration is again calling for more government action on gun control after a teenage student opened fire and killed a teacher and another student in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday.
The White House has reached out to both give condolences to victims and condemnation of the state of gun violence prevention in the country.
A White House spokesperson said President Biden is still in touch with state and local officials in Wisconsin. President Biden spoke with Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway this week.
In its final few weeks, the Biden administration continues to push Congress to take more action to prevent gun violence, by considering measures on universal background checks, a national red flag law and a federal ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
"From Newtown to Uvalde, Parkland to Madison, to so many other shootings that don't receive attention — it is unacceptable that we are unable to protect our children from this scourge of gun violence," President Biden said in a statement on the Wisconsin shooting. "We cannot continue to accept it as normal."
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Vice President Kamala Harris doubled down on the message as she addressed young leaders in Maryland on Tuesday.
"As we hold our loved ones close this holiday season, we as a nation must renew our commitment to end the horror of gun violence — both mass shootings and everyday gun violence — that touches so many communities in our nation," Harris said. "We need elected leaders to have the courage to step up and do the right thing."
Lawmakers are also using the shooting to draw attention to their efforts to institute more gun control measures.
Rep. Mike Thompson, a Democrat from California, chairs the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. He spoke with Scripps News on Tuesday about the need for bipartisan cooperation in the upcoming Congress.
"When gun violence is the number one cause of death for kids and for teenagers; when we have more mass shootings than days in the year; when it costs out almost $600 billion to deal with gun violence — you would think that responsible, reasonable people would be willing to step up and work together to make our communities safer," Thompson said.
"I'll meet with anybody," he said. "I'll walk through the gates of hell to meet with the devil himself if it would bring about some sort of safer community and legislation that we would pass. I will meet with the president or anyone else who's willing to work with us for responsible gun legislation that will save lives."
