On Thursday, Joe Biden said that he is planning to try to force through yet another bill restricting Americans’ Second Amendment rights, in a final effort to take advantage of the outgoing Democratic majority before Republicans take control of the House of Representatives in January.
As reported by The Hill, Biden announced his intentions on gun control in an incoherent and rambling statement to reporters on Thanksgiving Day.
“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,” Biden said, before adding that he would “try to get rid of assault weapons” during the lame-duck session of Congress.
Biden did not offer any explanation for what he considers to be an “assault weapon,” and his blanket remarks on “semi-automatic weapons” technically encompasses rifles and handguns alike, further proving his lack of knowledge of firearms.
“I’m going to do it whenever I — I got to make that assessment as I get in and start counting the votes,” he said, admitting that he may not have the votes in the Senate to overcome a filibuster by Republicans.
Although Democrats have been projected to retain control of the U.S. Senate, and may even increase their majority to 51-49, Republicans are on track to retake the House of Representatives, with a majority as high as 4-5 seats above the 218 threshold. The new Congress will be sworn in on January 3rd, 2023. As such, Democrats have been looking to take advantage of the remaining lame-duck session to force through several radical bills, including a bill codifying gay marriage and further gun control restrictions.