Biden will announce steps to curb gun violence in the U.S.

Biden will announce steps to curb¹ gun violence in the U.S.

Transcript²

The action includes finalizing³ regulations that deal with ghost guns — weapons that do not have serial⁴ numbers that can be used to track them and are sometimes sold as kits⁶ to be assembled at home.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Gun deaths in the U.S. have hit records in recent years. And today, President Biden is taking new steps to address the scores of gun violence in the United States. He's announcing a new nominee⁷ to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. That agency hasn't had a permanent leader for seven years. Biden will also announce a new rule to crack down on what are known as ghost guns - guns without serial numbers to track, which are sometimes sold as kits and assembled at home. NPR's Kelsey Snell is following this and has more about the newest high-profile pick from the White House.

KELSEY SNELL, BYLINE⁸: This nominee is named Steve Dettelbach. He is a former U.S. attorney based in Cleveland. And, you know, the White House is saying that he has decades of experience as a prosecutor⁹ at the Justice Department, including going after gangs and domestic extremists. And he has done a data-driven approach to fighting community gun violence. Now, this has been an impossible post to fill, in part because of polarized politics around guns across the country. You know, former President Trump¹⁰ couldn't get a nominee confirmed either. And the first Biden nominee, David Chipman, got pulled after facing opposition¹¹ from gun groups. So it's not really clear what Dettelbach's chances are, you know, considering Democrats¹² themselves aren't unified¹³ on gun policy.

FADEL: Right.

SNELL: But, you know, the White House is pitching him as a consensus¹⁴ nominee with a strong law enforcement background, and they're promising¹⁵ to work lawmakers and convince them to vote for him. But they haven't really had a great track record with doing that.

FADEL: So the president is also announcing some new regulations to crack down on these, quote, "ghost guns." What will he be doing?

SNELL: So this is a couple of steps that the White House says will help kind of regulate these ghost guns, which are, you know, made from kits that can be readily purchased and made into a working firearm. And they're basically saying that any of these kits must - the sale of these kits must also include a background check, just like for people who would buy fully¹⁶ assembled guns. They say it would apply to what they called Buy Build Shoot kits, where someone builds a gun from parts, and kits sold for 3D printers. It would require the kit⁵ manufacturers to imprint¹⁷ a serial number on the frame or receiver of the weapon built by the kit. And if resellers were able to acquire a ghost gun, it would require them to put a serial number on the gun and not take any that don't already have the required markings. But this is not a ban on these kits or guns assembled outside of commercial manufacturing. That would take congressional action. It also does not increase the penalty for crimes committed with ghost guns.

FADEL: Gun violence really surged during the pandemic. As Biden was running for office, he promised to take it on. Where does his overall agenda on gun violence stand?

SNELL: You know, there's so far been little progress outside of previous executive actions. You know, political divisions that make it difficult for Congress to approve an ATF nominee are the same ones that make it nearly impossible for them to pass gun control legislation. This rule they're announcing today is actually something they've been working on for a year. Administration officials say they're working to combat gun violence through support for community policing and violence interrupters and other local-level efforts. But action like this - you know, as part of the strategy progressives in Congress have been demanding, they want executive action to make up for that lack of action in Congress.

FADEL: Right.

SNELL: And Congress has basically been unable to do anything on major party priorities, from gun control to police reform or voting rights.

FADEL: NPR's Kelsey Snell - thank you, Kelsey.

SNELL: Thanks for having me.

1 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。

2 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

3 finalizing   

vt.完成（finalize的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• You may edit registered information any time during the finalizing period. 您可以在规定期限内随时编辑修改注册资料。 来自互联网
• Natsun Trimming & Ironing, Finalizing the Perfection. 40南山整烫，完美在此定格。 来自互联网

4 serial   

n.连本影片，连本电视节目；adj.连续的

参考例句：

• A new serial is starting on television tonight.今晚电视开播一部新的电视连续剧。
• Can you account for the serial failures in our experiment?你能解释我们实验屡屡失败的原因吗？

5 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

6 kits   

衣物和装备( kit的名词复数 )； 成套用品； 配套元件

参考例句：

• Keep your kits closed and locked when not in use. 不用的话把你的装备都锁好放好。
• Gifts Articles, Toy and Games, Wooden Toys, Puzzles, Craft Kits. 采购产品礼品，玩具和游戏，木制的玩具，智力玩具，手艺装备。

7 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

8 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

9 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

10 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

11 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

12 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 unified   

(unify 的过去式和过去分词)； 统一的； 统一标准的； 一元化的

参考例句：

• The teacher unified the answer of her pupil with hers. 老师核对了学生的答案。
• The First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221 B.C. 秦始皇于公元前221年统一中国。

14 consensus   

n.(意见等的)一致，一致同意，共识

参考例句：

• Can we reach a consensus on this issue?我们能在这个问题上取得一致意见吗？
• What is the consensus of opinion at the afternoon meeting?下午会议上一致的意见是什么？

15 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

16 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

17 imprint   

n.印痕，痕迹；深刻的印象；vt.压印，牢记

参考例句：

• That dictionary is published under the Longman imprint.那本词典以朗曼公司的名义出版。
• Her speech left its imprint on me.她的演讲给我留下了深刻印象。