Dr. Anthony Fauci said he believes gun violence is a public health issue.
“Myself, as a public health person, I think you can’t run away from that,” Fauci said when asked about the issue during an appearance on CNN. “When you see people getting killed, I mean, in this last month, it’s just been horrifying what’s happened. How can you say that’s not a public health issue?”
.@DanaBashCNN: “Is gun violence in the U.S. a public health emergency?”
Dr. Fauci: “When you see people getting killed, I mean, in this last month it’s just been horrifying what’s happened.
How can you say that’s not a public health issue?” pic.twitter.com/AdPjKcMdKG
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) April 19, 2021
Fauci’s comments come amid a renewed push from Democrats to pass new sweeping gun control measures after multiple high-profile shootings rocked the country.
Fauci, who has been in the public eye for much of the coronavirus pandemic, has rarely opined on other issues unrelated to the coronavirus pandemic and his expertise during what has been a packed media schedule for the nation’s top infectious disease expert.
This week, Fauci appeared on every Sunday news show with the exception of Fox News Sunday.
President Joe Biden has attempted to take matters into his own hands, signing six executive orders aimed at combating gun violence while nominating an anti-gun advocate to helm the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
BIDEN’S GUN CONTROL POLICIES WOULD TREAT EVERYONE LIKE A CRIMINAL
“There’s no reason someone needs a weapon of war with 100 rounds, 100 bullets, that can be fired from that weapon,” Biden said while announcing the executive orders. “Nobody needs that.”
Biden has also attempted to put pressure on Congress to pass more sweeping reform, imploring Republican senators to act on gun control legislation passed in the House.
“I strongly, strongly urge my Republicans friends in the Congress who refuse to bring up the House-passed bill to bring it up now,” Biden said Friday. “Who in God’s name needs a weapon that can hold 100 rounds, or 40 rounds or 20 rounds. It’s just wrong, and I’m not going to give up until it’s done.”
