Here's what Biden has done on gun control and what activists say he can still do without Congress

Summary: Shooting in Uvalde, Texas, massacre chronology and testimonies 28:22

(CNN) --

President Joe Biden has acknowledged that there is little he can do on gun control without the support of Republicans in Congress to stop the horrific mass shootings that are happening in America with alarming frequency.

During a trip last week to Buffalo, New York--following the mass shooting at a grocery store in that city--the president said there was "not a lot of executive action" he could take to tighten security measures. gun control.

And he pointed out that instead he had to "convince Congress" to pass legislation like the 1994 assault weapons ban.

• Three days after the massacre at a Texas school, questions remain about the response of the security forces

After 19 children and two teachers were killed Tuesday at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, a visibly moved Biden pleaded with Congress to "turn this pain into action."

But proposals to tighten gun control laws face major difficulties from Republican opposition.

"Will there be more executive actions and will we do more? We will evaluate it. We are always looking to do more," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Thursday.

"But right now we need the help of Congress. We need them to intervene," she added.

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Gun violence prevention organizations such as Everytown for Gun Safety and Brady have praised the multiple executive actions the president has signed on guns since taking office.

Among them, to curb the use of so-called ghost weapons and to strengthen intervention programs in community violence.

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But there are several additional steps they say they would like Biden to take.

This is the list.

Clarification from the Department of Justice

Federal law requires all persons "in the business" of firearms to obtain a federal firearms license and conduct background checks on prospective purchasers.

One of Biden's options is to order the Justice Department to clarify specifically that the term "engaged in business" also includes people who sell guns at online stores or at gun shows, in order to close loopholes. legal.

"Just as we don't have one line at airports for people who are willing to undergo a security check and another for those who prefer to avoid it, we cannot allow individuals who sell multiple weapons for profit to continue trading with complete strangers without ask questions," John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, told CNN.

A new White House office and an arms control coordinator

Several groups, including the Brady Organization, have advocated creating an office for gun violence prevention within the White House and appointing a dedicated gun violence coordinator within the Justice Department to oversee all government efforts to curb gun violence.

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"Many of the executive actions and directives of this administration have required the Justice Department to focus on the impact of gun violence in America. There should be a coordinator within the Justice Department who is focused exclusively on working to end gun violence," Brady's vice president for policy, Christian Heyne, told CNN.

More public information on weapons

Heyne said he would like to see the Biden administration issue a statement making it clear that firearms tracing information should be made public in order to better understand how to stem the flow of illegal weapons.

In that regard, he noted that "prejudicial interpretations" of the 2003 Tiahrt Amendment restrict the public's ability to obtain information about tracking data.

Due to the limitations of the amendment, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) cannot publish detailed trace information.

"This is a basic issue of accountability," Josh Horwitz, co-director of the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at Johns Hopkins, told CNN.

Implementation of "red flag" laws that already exist

Horwitz said the Biden administration could also prioritize funding in ways that support the implementation of extreme risk protection orders, also known as "red flag" law.

This measure allows weapons to be temporarily withdrawn from people who are considered to be at high risk of harming themselves or others.

The expert pointed out that the effectiveness of orders to prevent acts of violence depends entirely on their implementation and compliance.

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Actions Biden has already taken on guns

Since taking office, the White House has introduced several executive action packages to control so-called ghost guns, promote safe firearm storage, strengthen police forces and expand community violence intervention programs.

ghost weapons

Biden announced a new regulation to contain the use of so-called ghost weapons, which are firearms assembled at home by whoever buys them, with manufactured parts, which do not have a serial number and are difficult to track and regulate.

Ghost weapon kits can be purchased online and the weapon can be assembled in as little as 30 minutes.

Regulations require that anyone who purchases such a kit undergo a background check.

It also requires those selling the kits to mark the components with a serial number.

Additionally, it requires firearms dealers to add a serial number to ghost guns that have already been assembled.

Now, ghost weapons represent a relatively small part of those that law enforcement manages to recover.

But authorities say these weapons have become more prevalent at crime scenes in recent years.

Safe storage of firearms

Last year, Biden unveiled a new strategy for military and veteran suicide prevention, which includes promoting the safe storage of firearms and outlining best practices for firearms dealers.

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The plan includes a federal approach to improving the safety of deadly force, which is a voluntary practice that seeks to reduce the risk of suicide by limiting access to objects that can be used to harm oneself, including medications, firearms or sharp instruments.

The president directed the Justice Department to announce a new rule clarifying the obligations firearms dealers have to make security devices or secure gun storage available to buyers.

Biden also asked the ATF to publish a best practices guide for all federal firearms dealers to remind them of the steps they must legally take to keep communities safe.

Other measures of the Department of Justice for gun control

Last summer, the Justice Department launched an anti-guntrafficking initiative targeting Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the city of Washington -- known corridors for trafficking illegal weapons that they are used in deadly shootings and other crimes.

The goal of the initiative is to better coordinate security forces from all jurisdictions to dismantle trafficking networks.

The Justice Department has proposed clarifying restrictions on kits that convert a pistol into a short-barreled rifle.

Short-barreled makeshift rifles were used in two mass shootings: in Boulder, Colorado, and in Dayton, Ohio.

Biden directed the Justice Department to publish model "red flag" laws for states that allow the temporary removal of guns from people considered to be at high risk of harming themselves or others.

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Strengthen security and intervention programs against community violence

The $1.9 trillion Covid-19 aid package, known as the American Rescue Plan, allocated $350 billion to states, local governments, territories and tribes.

The government says the funds are available for law enforcement purposes, as well as to expand violence intervention programs in the community.

In July, the White House also created the Community Violence Intervention Collaborative, a group that includes mayors, security officials and community violence intervention experts.

The group says it is evaluating how best to use American Bailout funds and other public funds to increase investments in "community violence intervention infrastructure."

The ATF Candidate

Several groups have praised Biden's nominee to lead the ATF: Steve Dettelbach, a former federal prosecutor.

If confirmed by the Senate, Dettelbach would be the country's top gun regulator.

During a confirmation hearing Wednesday, the day after the Uvalde Elementary School shooting, Dettelbach promised lawmakers he would not be swayed by political considerations if he wins the job.

The president maintains that Dettelbach's confirmation as head of ATF is key to implementing gun laws and curbing gun crime.

The ATF has operated under a series of interim directors since the last leader confirmed by the Senate in 2013 resigned in 2015.

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