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White House to Crack Down on Illegal Gun Dealers and Increase Police Funding

HeadlineJun 24, 2021

President Biden said Wednesday his administration will crack down on illegal gun dealers and will increase funding for police departments as part of an effort to combat a spike in gun violence across the United States.

President Joe Biden: “Today, the department is announcing, as I just did, a major crackdown on — to stem the flow of guns used to commit violent crimes. It’s zero tolerance for gun dealers who willfully violate key existing laws and regulations.”

Biden’s plan includes doubling funding for the Community Oriented Policing Services — or COPS — program, a federal scheme that pays state and municipal governments to hire more police officers. On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki pushed back against Republican claims that Biden supports calls to defund the police.

Press Secretary Jen Psaki: “The president has been very consistent in his views over the course of decades. He has never been for defunding the police. He has always been a supporter of ensuring there are — that local community policing is funded and adequately supported by the federal government.”

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