FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida – Vice President Kamala Harris is set to visit the site of the tragic Parkland school shooting where 17 lives were lost in 2018. During her visit, Harris plans to address the need for stronger laws that would allow firearms to be confiscated from individuals deemed to be at high risk of causing harm to themselves or others.
The visit comes as part of Harris’ efforts to urge states to implement “red flag” laws aimed at preventing gun violence. These laws permit courts to issue protection orders that remove weapons from individuals considered to be a danger. Harris will meet with the families of the victims and tour Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the scene of the devastating shooting.
In light of recent events, Harris will also advocate for increased access to federal funding for crisis intervention programs. So far, six states have enacted red flag laws and are utilizing funding from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, but Harris aims to encourage 29 other states to adopt similar measures and to push 15 states with existing laws to take advantage of federal resources.
Despite Florida’s approval of a red flag law post-Parkland, the state has yet to utilize the available federal funding. The shooter, a former student suffering from mental health issues, was sentenced to life in prison after entering a guilty plea. As part of the ongoing efforts to address gun violence, the building where the tragedy took place is set to be demolished this year.
Advocates of red flag laws argue that they infringe upon the Second Amendment right to bear arms, while proponents of gun safety cite studies indicating their potential to prevent deaths. President Joe Biden has made gun violence a main focus of his administration, with Harris leading the charge on reform strategies such as expanding background checks for firearm sales and reinstating an assault weapons ban.
The United States holds the highest firearm homicide rate among high-income countries with populations exceeding 10 million, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Biden’s proposed measures face difficulties in a politically divided Congress, with Republican candidate Donald Trump previously expressing support for red flag laws but opposing broader reforms favored by the current administration.
Harris’ visit to Parkland serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight against gun violence in the United States, highlighting the need for bipartisan efforts to address this pressing issue.