Today, Tom Perez, Assistant to the President, Senior Advisor to the President, and Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Stefanie Feldman, Assistant to the President, Staff Secretary, and Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, and Gregory Jackson and Rob Wilcox, Special Assistants to the President and Deputy Directors of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention met with Lieutenant Governors to discuss ways they can best work to address gun violence prevention.
Gun violence is a pervasive crisis in the United States, and states are at the forefront of efforts to stem gun violence in their communities. The meeting reaffirms the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to reduce gun violence.
Last month, President Biden established the first ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris, to implement and expand upon key executive and legislative action which has been taken to save lives. The Office of Gun Violence Prevention continues to build on historic actions taken by President Biden including signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant legislative action on gun violence in nearly 30 years, and taking more executive actions than any other president to make our homes, schools, churches, grocery stores, and communities safer.
In the meeting, White House officials and Lieutenant Governors discussed ways the Lieutenant Governors can be a partner to help enact policies to prevent gun violence in their communities and what resources are available at the federal level to address gun crimes and violent crimes generally. Additionally, the meeting served as a way to strengthen federal and state partnerships on gun violence.
Participating Lieutenant Governors included:
Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis
Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan
Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II
Rhode Island Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos
Maryland Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller
Treasurer of Oregon Tobias Read
Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez
Vermont Lieutenant Governor David Zukerman
