President Joe Biden on Thursday issued an executive order to strengthen the federal background check system for gun purchases, one of the most sweeping actions on gun control taken by any president in decades.
The order will require the Justice Department to issue a proposed rule within 30 days that would require people who sell firearms to first obtain a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It would also require background checks for all gun sales, including those made at gun shows, online or through classified ads.
Biden also directed the Justice Department to issue a rule within 60 days to close the “Charleston loophole”, which allows a gun to be transferred to a buyer if a background check is not completed within three days.
The order also calls for the Justice Department to propose a rule within 60 days that would prohibit the possession and sale of “ghost guns”, untraceable firearms made from parts that can be bought online.
The order also calls for the Justice Department to issue a report within 60 days on the causes of gun violence and propose strategies to reduce it.