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U.S. president signs gun reform law months after deadly mass shootings

The law became the first of its kind in three decades, and according to President Biden was necessary to “save lives”.

• June 25, 2022

United States President Joe Biden on Saturday signed the first federal gun reform law, after a series of gun violence crimes claimed multiple lives in recent months.

The law became the first of its kind in three decades, and according to President Biden was necessary to “save lives”.

The signed bill makes provisions for a strict background check on young buyers of firearms, declines the acquisition of firearms from local offenders, and gives every state easy access to retrieve firearms from citizens considered to be dangerous to their society.

However, most of the strict measures desired by Mr Biden and other Democrats were not included in the bill.

The bill, signed at the White House is estimated to be worth 13 billion dollars and will be geared towards social services to curb the spread of gun violence. These include a mental health programme and support for schools affected by mass shootings in a few states such as Newtown, Connecticut, Parkland, Florida, and other areas that have experienced extreme gun violence in the nation.

After extreme numbers of deaths were recorded in the states as a result of mass shootings, concerns were raised by Democrats and Republicans for moves to be made to kickstart the necessary need for a gun reform programme in the states.

This development comes two days after a decision was made on Thursday by the Supreme Court to strike down a New York law that restricted the freedom of people to move around with hidden weapons.

Two major mass shootings shocked the U.S. this year. One was at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, while the other was at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. They are now among 30 of the deadliest mass shootings in modern U.S. history.

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