WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden is hearing personal stories of gun violence from representatives of victims groups and gun-safety organizations as he works on the Obama administration's response to the shooting at a Connecticut elementary school.
Biden's meeting Wednesday is part of a series he's holding this week to build consensus around proposals to curb gun violence after the Dec. 14 shooting in Newtown, Conn., in which 20 school children were killed.
He told participants that he and President Barack Obama are determined to act.
Participants included the Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence and groups from Arizona, Illinois and Wisconsin. Also present were two survivors of the Virginia Tech shooting.
UPI
Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder meet with representatives of gun violence victims groups and gun safety organizations.
Obama has asked Biden to deliver policy proposal by the end of the month.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will join talks at the White House on Thursday.
On Thursday, Biden will meet with the National Rifle Association and other gun-owner groups. Meetings with representatives from the video-game and entertainment industries are also planned.
Wal-Mart said it previously had not planned to attend the meeting because of its senior leaders' schedule and had spoken in advance with the Vice President's office to share its perspective.
"We underestimated the expectation to attend the meeting on Thursday in person, so we are sending an appropriate representative to participate," company spokesman David Tovar said in a statement Wednesday. "We take this issue very seriously and are committed staying engaged in this discussion as the administration and Congress work toward a consensus on the right path forward."
The world's largest retailer said it has had ongoing conversations with the Obama administration, Congress, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office, sportsmen groups, suppliers and others. The company said it has tried to strike the right balance between serving hunters and sportsmen and ensuring that it sells firearms responsibly.
Biden meets with gun-safety, victims groups; set to sit down with gun owners, NRA and Wal-Mart on Thursday
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Biden meets with gun-safety, victims groups; set to sit down with gun owners, NRA and Wal-Mart on Thursday
