President Joe Biden issued a controversial call for tighter gun control regulations on Independence Day.

The commander-in-chief, referencing a handful of shootings that took place across the nation ahead of the “day of patriotic pride,” claimed in a statement from the White House that the incidents show the need for a ban on “assault weapons” similar to the one recently passed by Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker.

“It is within our power to once again ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to require safe storage of guns, to end gun manufacturers’ immunity from liability, and to enact universal background checks,” Biden stated. “I urge other states to follow Illinois’ lead, and continue to call upon Republican lawmakers in Congress to come to the table on meaningful, commonsense reforms that the American people support.”

Biden, however, did not address the recent gun charges against his son, Hunter Biden, in his speech. The first son was charged last month with illegal possession of a handgun; a person may not possess a firearm by law while an unlawful user or addict of a substance. The maximum penalty includes ten years of federal prison time and $250,000, but Hunter Biden was allowed to enter a plea deal and is expected to only serve probation.

The Biden administration has often prioritized gun control in its policy objectives over the past two years, using executive orders to circumvent Congress and implement tighter regulations. The administration announced a plan earlier this year to expand the statutory definition of firearm dealers and require more background checks without passing legislation, according to another statement from the White House.

“The executive order will also keep more guns out of dangerous hands by increasing the effective use of ‘red flag; laws, strengthen efforts to hold the gun industry accountable, and accelerate law enforcement efforts to identify and apprehend the shooters menacing our communities,” the statement said. “As he continues to call on Congress to act, President Biden will do everything he can to reduce gun violence and save lives. That is why, over the past two years, President Biden has taken more executive action to reduce gun violence than any other president at this point in their presidency.”

Biden has repeatedly claimed that his part in creating a 1994 ban on “assault weapons” has made a difference in decreasing the number of violent crimes. Yet a nonpartisan study conducted by the Justice Department one decade later showed that there was no significant impact on violent crime as a result of the ban.

While the Biden administration works to crack down on Second Amendment liberties, California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is likewise attempting to pass a constitutional amendment that would raise the federal minimum age to buy a firearm from eighteen to twenty-one, mandate universal background checks, institute a “reasonable waiting period” for firearm purchases, and ban semi automatic “assault rifles,” which are frequently used for hunting, sporting, and home defense. The amendment would require approval from two-thirds of both the House and the Senate, as well as ratification from thirty-eight states.

Despite the push from the Biden administration, the nation is trending toward more conservative firearm laws in many states. Over half of states have constitutional carry laws on the books, most of which have been enacted within the last six years. Alabama, Ohio, Indiana, and Georgia passed constitutional carry last year, while Florida and Nebraska joined the four states earlier this year to recognize the right to carry legally owned firearms without governmental permission.