Showdown: NRA to meet with Biden over gun issue

The National Rifle Association on Thursday will send a representative to meet with Vice President Joseph R. Biden, who is heading a task force on gun violence, a spokesman for the group said earlier this week.

The group received an invitation to attend late Friday, said spokesman Andrew Arulanandam.

“We are sending a rep to hear what they have to say,” he said.

Mr. Biden met with gun safety groups and gun victims’ groups on Wednesday and will meet with sportsmen’s and gun ownership groups on Thursday.

The NRA has advocated adding armed guards to schools to prevent future mass shootings in the wake of the rampage that saw 26 people, including 20 children, murdered at a Connecticut elementary school last month.

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White House press secretary Jay Carney on Tuesday reiterated President Obama’s recent comments that he was skeptical putting more guns in schools would solve the problem.

“But again, we look forward to hearing from a variety of organizations and civic groups and others who have insights into this problem,” Mr. Carney said. “[T]he process is designed to get input. And then the vice president’s group will assess different actions, make recommendations, and the president will decide what he would like to pursue, what he believes is the right course of action, in addition to what he has already called on Congress to do, which is pass the assault weapons ban, pass legislation that would ban high-capacity magazines, pass a bill that would close loopholes in our background check system.”

Mr. Obama has asked Mr. Biden to report back to him with recommendations this month.

“So [the president] is mindful of the need to act,” Mr. Carney said. “He is also mindful of the need to have a process in place, led by the vice president, that allows for consideration of a variety of ideas, because he’s made the point that this is not a problem that can be solved by gun legislation alone.”

The group will also meet with representatives of the entertainment and video game industries, and members of Mr. Obama’s cabinet will meet with other stakeholder groups.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will meet with parent, teacher and education groups, and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius will meet with mental health and disability advocates.

Mr. Carney said that White House staff will continue to meet with medical groups, community organizations, child and family advocates, business owners, faith leaders and others.

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