SAN ANTONIO – On the eve of the two year mark of the Robb Elementary shooting, President Joe Biden wrote a letter to Uvalde residents.
“To the families of the victims: I know that, even after years have passed, there are days it feels like you just got the news yesterday,” Biden wrote. “While there are no words that will ease the pain you continue to feel, I pray you find comfort in reflecting on their memories and all that they meant.”
Recommended Videos
After he and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden visited Uvalde in the aftermath of the shooting — which killed 19 students and two teachers — Biden said victims’ families urged lawmakers to act.
On June 24, 2022, two months after the shooting, Congress agreed to pass legislation on a gun violence bill. Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law the next day.
The legislation created tougher safeguards for young adults between 18 and 20 years old who want to purchase weapons. The law now includes a look at the buyer’s local juvenile records.
“For the first time in three decades, with the help of so many from Uvalde, we overcame relentless opposition to commonsense gun legislation from the gun lobby, gun manufacturers and politicians,” Biden continued. “Through this bill, my Administration is closing dangerous loopholes and implementing the most significant expansion of gun background checks in decades.”
In September 2023, Biden introduced the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which Vice President Kamala Harris oversees. The office’s goal is to reduce gun violence and expand legislative action like the Bipartisan Safe Communities Act, the White House said on the office’s website.
White House officials said Office of Gun Violence Prevention deputy director Robert Wilcox is expected to join Uvalde residents Friday at a vigil honoring victims of the Robb Elementary shooting.
More Uvalde coverage on KSAT: