Administration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., 2022

August 3, 2022

Three years ago, on a tragic, painful day in our nation's history, we lost 23 souls and 22 others were injured when a gunman full of rage and hate targeted the people of El Paso and the rich Hispanic heritage of the people within it. We will never forget the lives lost, or the courage and resilience of those injured and the loved ones they left behind.

Together with partners in Congress and countless advocates across this country, we have made progress to confront both hate and gun violence. We've acted to reduce gun violenceâ taking more executive action to reduce gun violence than any other administration at this point, and bringing together Republicans and Democrats to enact the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun violence reduction legislation in 30 years. I signed bipartisan legislation to improve hate crimes reporting and enhance training for law enforcement to identify and respond to hate crimes. And last year, my administration laid out our country's first-ever comprehensive effort to counter the threat posed by domestic terrorism.

We know there's more work to do. The House recently passed a bill that would ban the weapons of war like the one the El Paso gunman and so many others have used to take and injure so many innocent lives in a matter of minutes. The Senate needs to act on that critical piece of legislation.

I'm not going to stop fighting to make communities across the country safer. We owe it to the families and community in El Paso and to so many communities like El Paso.

NOTE: The statement referred to Patrick Wood Crusius, who was charged in the shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso, TX, on August 3, 2019. It also referred to H.R. 1808.

Categories: Statements by the President : El Paso, TX, shooting, third anniversary. Names: Crusius, Patrick Wood.

Subjects: Law enforcement and crime : Domestic terrorism and extremist violence, efforts to combat; Law enforcement and crime : Gun control; Law enforcement and crime : Gun violence, prevention efforts; Law enforcement and crime : Hate crimes, prevention and prosecution efforts; Legislation, proposed : Assault Weapons Ban of 2022; Texas : 2019 shooting in El Paso.

DCPD Number: DCPD202200683.

1