Biden reaffirms commitment to gun reform in letter to Uvalde shooting victims’ families

President Biden penned a letter to the families of the victims of the deadly mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, reaffirming his commitment to gun violence prevention to mark two years since the tragedy.

Biden notes in the letter, dated for the anniversary Friday, that him and first lady Jill Biden visited Uvalde after the shooting. He said, “When we met with the families, they had the same message we hear in the aftermath of all too many mass shootings: Do something.”

“In the 2 years since, they have made their voices heard — and our country has listened,” the president added.

In the letter, Biden shared condolences for the 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School who were killed and said that he prays the families find comfort in memories of the victims.

The president noted in the letter that he signed the bipartisan gun safety law months after the shooting, which includes provisions to close loopholes to purchases and to expand background checks. He also lauded his administration’s launch of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention last year and renewed his call on Congress to act — especially on legislation related to universal background checks, a national red flag law and a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

“In the last 2 years, the people of Uvalde have turned their pain into purpose to demand progress for our Nation,” Biden said. “I know we have a long road ahead of us, but the courage, strength, and resilience you have shown in the face of such profound loss remind us that we can come together as a country and take commonsense actions to save lives and keep our communities safe.”

Robert Wilcox, deputy director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, will be in Uvalde on Friday to participate in a vigil honoring the victims and to deliver Biden’s letter, according to White House officials.

The anniversary also comes more than four months after the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a scathing report looking into why the gunman was able to enter and open fire in the school, while 400 law enforcement officers from various agencies spent more than an hour waiting outside.

Ultimately, the DOJ found that a lack of preparation, communication and initiative led police to bungle their response to the 2022 school shooting.