WATCH: Biden calls on Congress to address gun violence ‘epidemic’ | 2021 Biden address to Congress

In light of recent mass shootings in metropolitan areas including Atlanta and Boulder, President Joe Biden said gun violence in America is an “epidemic.” He also urged congressional Republicans to join Democrats in supporting gun control measures such as closing loopholes and requiring universal background checks to purchase firearms.

Biden noted that the federal government previously took action to address gun violence in 1994, when President Bill Clinton signed a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, but this law expired in 2004.

“Don’t tell me it can’t be done. We did it before, and it worked,” Biden said. “This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. I think it’s an American issue.”

For the first time since taking office, Biden delivered remarks to a joint session of Congress on April 28. Normally the full House and Senate and most of the president’s Cabinet would be in attendance, but because of COVID-19 restrictions, attendance was limited to roughly 200 people.

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