Joe Biden declares ‘lives will be saved’ as he signs landmark gun legislation

In the wake of the latest shooting, which saw the massacre of 19 children and two teachers at a Texas primary school, Mr Biden declared the legislation will mean “lives will be saved”.

Speaking at the White House and citing the families of shooting victims, Mr Biden said: “Their message to us was to do something. Well today, we did.”

The House gave final approval of the Bill on Friday, following Senate passage on Thursday, and Mr Biden acted just before leaving Washington for two summits in Europe.

US President Joe Biden has signed the most sweeping gun violence Bill in decades, a bipartisan compromise that seemed unimaginable until a recent series of mass shootings.

The legislation will toughen background checks for the youngest gun buyers, keep firearms from more domestic violence offenders, and help states put in place red flag laws that make it easier for authorities to take weapons from people adjudged to be dangerous.

Most of its 13 billion US dollar (£10.5 billion) cost will help bolster mental health programmes and aid schools, which have been targeted in Newtown, Connecticut, and Parkland, Florida, and elsewhere in mass shootings.

Mr Biden said the compromise hammered out by a bipartisan group of senators “doesn’t do everything I want” but “it does include actions I’ve long called for that are going to save lives”.

“I know there’s much more work to do, and I’m never going to give up, but this is a monumental day,” said the president, who was joined by his wife Jill, a teacher, for the signing.

He said they will host an event on July 11 for legislators and families affected by gun violence.

Mr Biden signed the measure two days after the Supreme Court’s ruling on Thursday striking down a New York law that restricted people’s ability to carry concealed weapons.

While the new law does not include the tougher restrictions that Democrats have long championed, such as a ban on assault-type weapons and background checks for all gun transactions, it is the most impactful firearms violence measure from Congress since enacting a now-expired assault weapons ban in 1993.