No mention of games in Biden proposals
Violent media reportedly absent from 19 suggested executive actions to prevent gun violence
US Vice President Joe Biden has prepared 19 executive actions he is asking President Barack Obama to undertake to curb mass shootings, but they don't include any mention of violent games. According to a Politico report citing House Democrats briefed on the proposals, Biden's recommendations are intended to bolster gun control laws already on the books, and do not address violence in the entertainment industry.
"It was all focusing on enforcing existing law, administering things like improving the background database, things like that that do not involve a change in the law but enforcing and making sure that the present law is administered as well as possible," Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) told the blog.
Passing new legislation on gun control would be difficult in the current Congress, with Democrats and Republicans deeply divided on the issue. Relying on executive actions will allow the President to dictate government action, but it also limits how much he can do to enact changes. Beyond those actions, Obama is expected to make proposals for additional gun control measures later this week.
After meeting with game industry executives last week, Biden reassured them that they had not been singled out.
"We know there is no single answer and quite frankly we don't even know whether some of the things people think impact on [gun violence] actually impact on it or not," Biden said.