President Joe Biden said Thursday he would prioritize legislation banning assault rifles during the House chamber's lame-duck period prior to the Christmas break — and also before a new Republican-controlled Congress convenes on Jan. 3.
While speaking to reporters on Thanksgiving morning, Biden emphasized the need for an assault-rifle ban, coming off three recent mass shootings in various parts of the United States.
During his media session, Biden characterized it as "ridiculous" that red flag laws were not being enforced throughout the country, although it remains unknown if the three suspected shooters from this week previously had conduct that would have qualified for a "red flag" warning.
"No. 2, the idea ... we still allow semi-automatic weapons to be purchased is sick. It's just sick. It has no, no social redeeming value. Zero. None. Not a single, solitary rationale for it except profit for the gun manufacturers," said Biden.
Even with the Democrats controlling the House for six more weeks, Biden didn't express total confidence that an assault-rifle-ban bill would garner passage.
"I'm going to do it whenever ... I got to make that assessment as I get in and start counting the votes," said Biden.
In June, House Democrats introduced an assault weapon ban, but the measure — otherwise known as the Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order — didn't come close to passing in the Senate.
Within the Senate chamber, successful passage would have required 60 votes to break the filibuster.
According to the Newsmax elections tracker, the Republicans have already collected 220 seats in the House chamber, giving them the majority by an estimated count of nine seats.
The Democrats (50 seats) have already clinched the majority in the Senate, thanks to Vice President Kamala Harris breaking all ties.
The Republicans (currently 49 seats), however, can make that deficit razor-thin on Dec. 6, if Republican challenger Herschel Walker defeats incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., in the Senate runoff election.
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