President Biden’s Executive Order
March 14, 2023

Summary by Survivors Empowered
White House Fact Sheet is here.

Survivors Empowered thanks President Biden for acknowledging survivors of gun violence and for calling to improve federal support for gun violence survivors, victims and survivors’ families, first responders to gun violence, and communities affected by gun violence. President Biden directed Cabinet members to develop a proposal for how the federal government can better support communities after a mass shooting, and to identify additional resources or authorities the executive branch would need from Congress to implement this proposal.

Keeping guns out of dangerous hands

• Increase FFL compliance with federal law (Brady Act) requiring background checks for firearms sold through FFLs by: 
1. further clarifying who is engaged in the business (EITB) of selling firearms, and
2. preventing former FFLs who are retired or whose licenses have been revoked or surrendered from continuing to EITB.
• Improve public awareness and increase appropriate use of extreme risk protection (“red flag”) orders and safe storage of firearms by:
1. increasing education of a state’s firearm storage laws and Extreme Risk Protection Order laws by working with state partners, and
2. encouraging Cabinet members to existing federal safe storage campaigns.
• Address the loss or theft of firearms during shipping by:
1. directing the Secretary of Transportation and Department of Justice to reduce loss or theft of firearms during shipment, and
2. increase the reporting of loss or theft by working with carriers and shippers.

Holding the gun industry accountable

• Provide the public and policymakers with more information regarding federally licensed firearms dealers who are violating the law by:
1.  directing the Attorney General to publicly release, to the fullest extent permissible by law, ATF records from the inspection of firearms dealers who were cited for violation of federal firearm laws.
2. The information will allow policy makers at all levels to learn of theft or illegal transactions of FFLs and develop policies and laws to reduce illegal transactions.
• Use the Department of Defense’s acquisition of firearms to further firearm and public safety practices. 
• President Biden is encouraging the independent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to issue a public report analyzing how gun manufacturers market firearms to minors and how such manufacturers market firearms to all civilians, including through the use of military imagery.

Additional steps to make our communities safer and support communities impacted by gun violence

• The National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) needs to be more effective in tracing and providing information on ballistics data. 
1. The National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) allows federal, state, and local law enforcement to match fired cartridge casings to the guns from which they were fired, making it easier for law enforcement to connect multiple crime scenes and catch shooters. 
2. To maximize NIBIN’s effectiveness, federal, state, and local law enforcement all have an important role to play in ensuring timely submission of ballistics data to NIBIN by requiring ALL federal law enforcement agencies to issue rigorous requirements regarding NIBIN data use and submission. 
• Accelerate and intensify implementation of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) by requiring agencies to submit a report to him within 60 days on their progress toward full implementation of BSCA and additional steps they will take to maximize the benefits of the law.
• Improve federal support for gun violence survivors, victims and survivors’ families, first responders to gun violence, and communities affected by gun violence.
1. Currently, when a mass shooting overwhelms a community, no coordinated U.S. government mechanism exists to meet short- and long-term needs.
2. Cabinet members are directed to develop a proposal for how the federal government can better support communities after a mass shooting, and to identify additional resources or authorities the executive branch would need from Congress to implement this proposal.
• Advance congressional efforts to prevent the proliferation of firearms undetectable by metal detectors (ghost guns) by making permanent the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988, which is currently set to expire in December 2023.