Biden announces executive actions to curb gun violence "epidemic"

Washington — President Biden unveiled his first attempts to curb gun violence on Thursday, announcing a set of modest moves designed to begin revamping federal gun policy by tweaking the government's definition of a firearm and more aggressively responding to urban gun violence. 

"Gun violence in this country is an epidemic, and it's an international embarrassment," Mr. Biden said in his remarks announcing the actions. He called high rates of gun violence a "blemish on the character of our nation." He pushed back against arguments that these executive actions would infringe upon the right to bear arms. The changes include reviewing federal policy surrounding ghost guns — handmade or self-assembled firearms that don't include serial numbers — and the use of stabilizing braces on pistols, a modification that turns the weapon into a short-barreled rifle.