Biden to sign executive order aiming to reduce gun violence, eliminate controversial gun conversion devices

The White House is expected to announce new actions to reduce gun violence, Fox News has learned.

According to a senior administration official, President Biden is poised to sign an executive order that will address key priorities for combating firearms threats, including eliminating gun conversion devices and establishing an emerging firearms threats task force.

The executive order will also aim to improve school-based active shooter drills to better prepare students for emergency situations.

The executive order comes just days after the mass shooting in Birmingham, Alabama on Sept. 21 that left four dead and 17 wounded. It also comes as former President Trump has survived two attempted assassinations in recent months.

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The White House says firearm technology is rapidly evolving and Biden’s actions are aimed at reducing two key emerging threats: machine gun conversion devices and 3D printed firearms. 

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The senior administration official said conversion devices, those that aid in converting semi-automatic pistol into a fully automatic firearm, are already illegal under federal law but are continuing to be used in crime and recovered by law enforcement agencies across the country. 

The relatively new 3D printed firearms are built from computer code downloaded from the internet, making them widely available. They also lack serial numbers, which often help investigators trace firearms recovered at crime scenes. These 3D printed firearms can also be built with non-metal materials, making them undetectable by magnetometers used to secure airports, courthouses, and event spaces, the senior administration official said.

Biden’s executive order will establish an emerging firearms threats task force consisting of leadership from various federal departments and agencies. 

It will be tasked with issuing a report within 90 days that includes an assessment of the threat posed by machine gun conversion devices and 3D printed firearms, the senior administration official said.

The assessment will also include a review of federal agencies, operational and legal capacities to detect, intercept and seize these firearm and firearm components. 

Finally, it will direct the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the attorney general, the secretary of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Surgeon General to develop and publish new active shooter drills. 

Nick Rojas contributed to this report.