Kamala Harris on Gun Violence

Kamala Harris has made combating gun violence a core focus throughout her career, emphasizing a policy approach shaped by survivor advocacy and evidence-based practices. Her stance centers on enacting stricter federal gun safety measures, such as reinstating a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and mandating universal background checks for all gun sales. She also supports the implementation of Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) to temporarily remove firearms from dangerous individuals, citing their success in states like California where she led efforts to pass such a law as Attorney General.

Her role as overseer of the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention underscores her commitment to pursuing action despite congressional hurdles, including leveraging executive actions on issues like ghost guns and gun trafficking. While acknowledging gun ownership for personal safety and stating she is a gun owner, she frames her position as favoring common sense gun safety, contrasting her vision with what she characterizes as a "guns everywhere" agenda. Her legislative focus has also included closing the boyfriend loophole to prevent domestic abusers from acquiring guns and supporting community violence intervention programs.