Parkland shooting survivor and gun control activist David Hogg praised the White House’s announcement of a new office focused on gun violence prevention.
“I’m so excited that President Biden is taking action and listening to March For Our Lives and our calls to action,” Hogg said Friday in an interview with MSNBC. “For four years, we’ve registered thousands of young people to vote, we’ve demanded action and protested at the White House calling for this office for four years, and it is finally happening.”
“The only reason why that is… is because young people made their voices heard and voted. And we have to vote again in 2024,” he said, arguing that if the White House flips to Republican, the office will likely not exist anymore. “We have to keep the work up.”
Hogg co-founded the anti-gun violence group March for our Lives in 2018 — after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where he went to school. The shooting left 14 students and three staff members dead.
The gun prevention office, officially announced on Friday, has an aim of “implementing executive and legislative action” for the purpose of ceasing “the scourge of gun violence in America,” according to a White House statement.
Biden said he met with families that were impacted by gun violence and they all had the same message for him and other elected officials: “Do something.”
“It’s why, last year, I signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to keep guns out of dangerous hands, and have taken more executive action than any President in history to keep communities safe,” he continued.
“That’s why I’m announcing additional steps forward, with the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris, to build upon these measures and keep Americans safe,” Biden added.
The building that once housed Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is set to be demolished next summer, according to The Associated Press.
“We understand the urgency of this matter, but it is essential to prioritize safety above all else. In preparation for the demolition, crews will clean and clear the building, adhering to state and the Environmental Protection Agency’s landfill disposal regulations,” a Thursday statement by Broward County Public Schools.
“As we continue to heal, we remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting the Marjory Stoneman Douglas community and will provide updates as information becomes available,” the statement continued.