This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/11/joe-biden-games-companies-gun-control
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Joe Biden meets games companies as gun control taskforce readies proposals | Joe Biden meets games companies as gun control taskforce readies proposals |
| (3 months later) | |
| Vice-president Joe Biden said on Friday that there was no "silver bullet" to solve America's gun problem, but that he hoped to present a broad package of recommendations early next week. | Vice-president Joe Biden said on Friday that there was no "silver bullet" to solve America's gun problem, but that he hoped to present a broad package of recommendations early next week. |
| On the final day of talks at the White House, Biden met executives from the video games industry, reassuring them that he held "no judgment" and that the sector was not being "singled out". Representatives of the companies behind the popular Call of Duty and Medal of Honor franchises – Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts – were summoned amid suggestions that violence on screens may be reflected in real life crime. | On the final day of talks at the White House, Biden met executives from the video games industry, reassuring them that he held "no judgment" and that the sector was not being "singled out". Representatives of the companies behind the popular Call of Duty and Medal of Honor franchises – Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts – were summoned amid suggestions that violence on screens may be reflected in real life crime. |
| In comments accompanying the meeting, Biden raised the question of whether there had been a "coarsening" of American culture in general. "I do not know the answer to that question," he said. | In comments accompanying the meeting, Biden raised the question of whether there had been a "coarsening" of American culture in general. "I do not know the answer to that question," he said. |
| In the aftermath of last month's school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut – in which 20 children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook elementary – Biden was instructed by president Barack Obama to form a taskforce to look into measures that could be introduced to crack down on gun violence. He is due to present his findings to Obama early next week. "I'm shooting for Tuesday. I hope I get it done by then," Biden said on Friday. | In the aftermath of last month's school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut – in which 20 children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook elementary – Biden was instructed by president Barack Obama to form a taskforce to look into measures that could be introduced to crack down on gun violence. He is due to present his findings to Obama early next week. "I'm shooting for Tuesday. I hope I get it done by then," Biden said on Friday. |
| It is understood that Biden's taskforce is considering a broad package of policies, which could include universal background checks on gun ownership, a clampdown on gun-show loopholes and a potential ban on high-capacity magazines and assault rifles. | It is understood that Biden's taskforce is considering a broad package of policies, which could include universal background checks on gun ownership, a clampdown on gun-show loopholes and a potential ban on high-capacity magazines and assault rifles. |
| Whatever the proposals turn out to be, it is likely they will be opposed by the National Rifle Association (NRA). Anticipating a renewed fight on the issue of ownership rights, the NRA hit out at Biden after meeting him on Thursday, accusing the vice-president of having "an agenda to attack the second amendment". | Whatever the proposals turn out to be, it is likely they will be opposed by the National Rifle Association (NRA). Anticipating a renewed fight on the issue of ownership rights, the NRA hit out at Biden after meeting him on Thursday, accusing the vice-president of having "an agenda to attack the second amendment". |
| "We will not allow law-abiding gun owners to be blamed for the acts of criminals and madmen," said an NRA spokesman. On Friday, Biden said he believed his meeting with the NRA and other pro-gun organisations had been "very straightforward, productive". | "We will not allow law-abiding gun owners to be blamed for the acts of criminals and madmen," said an NRA spokesman. On Friday, Biden said he believed his meeting with the NRA and other pro-gun organisations had been "very straightforward, productive". |
| The main gun control advocacy group, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, released its policy recommendations on Friday – two days after it met Biden. The proposals include a priority of closing a loophole that allows 40% of gun sales to take place without background checks, as well as limiting the availability of high-capacity ammunition magazines and military-style weapons "designed for mass killing". | The main gun control advocacy group, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, released its policy recommendations on Friday – two days after it met Biden. The proposals include a priority of closing a loophole that allows 40% of gun sales to take place without background checks, as well as limiting the availability of high-capacity ammunition magazines and military-style weapons "designed for mass killing". |
| Dan Gross, the Brady Campaign president, said: "We believe in the approach by the vice-president. There is no one answer to preventing gun violence. It is a complex problem that deserves a comprehensive set of solutions." | Dan Gross, the Brady Campaign president, said: "We believe in the approach by the vice-president. There is no one answer to preventing gun violence. It is a complex problem that deserves a comprehensive set of solutions." |
| guardian.co.uk today is our daily snapshot of the top news stories, sent to your inbox at 8am |