Brady Responds to Biden Announcement That He Will Not Seek Reelection

Brady Will Work to Ensure Next President Continues Biden’s Legacy of Taking Action to Combat Gun Violence 

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 21, 2024 — President Joe Biden announced today that he will not seek reelection and has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to be the next Democratic presidential candidate. In the wake of this announcement, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence has released the following statement: 

Brady President Kris Brown stated: 

President Biden fundamentally shifted what it means for a president to combat gun violence. For decades he has led this country in tackling this epidemic, dating back to when he stood beside gun violence survivors Jim and Sarah Brady in shepherding the Brady Bill and a national assault weapons ban through Congress. From establishing the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, to overseeing the most executive actions to reduce gun violence of any president in history, and signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law, he has shown a deep and consistent commitment to ending gun violence in America. And it has worked. During his time in the White House, President Biden has presided over the single largest decrease in violence in modern America history. 

Brady remains steadfast in ensuring that this legacy continues and that we build upon this historic progress. Our country is in the grip of a gun violence crisis. We must come together to protect our democracy and our safety. This November, our lives are on the ballot. We must vote to free America from gun violence.

Brady previously joined a coalition of national gun violence prevention organizations in endorsing President Biden. 

President Biden and the Biden-Harris administration’s historic actions to combat gun violence include: 

• Passing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most comprehensive federal gun violence prevention policy since the Brady Bill was signed into law 30 years ago
• Establishing the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, understanding that tackling this epidemic will take a whole-of-government approach
• Confirming a permanent director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for the first time in years, an essential step to modernize the agency and robustly enforce the nation’s gun laws to address gun trafficking and reduce gun violence.
• Implementing more executive actions to reduce gun violence than any other administration, including:
  • Expanded Brady Background Checks, closing the gun show and online sale loopholes 
  • Regulated untraceable ghost guns
  • Invested in community violence intervention programs
  • Promoted safe firearm storage, including among parents, to reduce the threat of unsecured firearms