The Vice President is on a six-day trip to Japan, China and the Republic of Korea

Twenty years ago, President Clinton signed the Brady Bill into law.

That law said that if you want to purchase a firearm from a federally licensed dealer in this country, you have to get a background check first. It was a historic piece of legislation -- one that's kept 1.5 million of the wrong people from getting their hands on a firearm in the last 14 years.

But in the wake of the tragedy in Newtown -- a year ago this month -- we know we've got to keep working to build on that progress.

And so even after a minority of Senators blocked commonsense legislation to reduce gun violence this spring, we're pushing forward.

President Obama laid out 23 executive actions to make sure the Administration took essential and rapid steps to save lives while respecting our Second Amendment rights. And since January, we've completed or made significant progress on all of them.

President Obama is keeping his word to make sure our families and communities are safe. See the progress we've made.

Those 23 executive actions are keeping guns out of dangerous hands. They're providing support for communities to hire school resource officers. And they're reducing the stigma around mental illness.

Now, it's not enough to take these steps on our own -- we still need Congress to pass comprehensive legislation to reduce gun violence. We need expanded background checks, and we need to create serious penalties for gun trafficking. There is no question that these kinds of measures would protect our kids and keep our communities safer.

No parent should ever face the horror of the scene at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Or a movie theater in Aurora. Or a temple in Oak Creek. Or the campus at Virginia Tech.

We've seen too much gun violence as a country. And if there's even one thing we can do to save a life, it is our most sacred duty to try.

That's where I stand. And you have my word that the President and I are doing everything we can to make sure no parent loses their child to gun violence.

Take a look at the progress we've made:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/Reducing-Gun-Violence

Thank you,

Joe

The Vice President's 2013 Asia Trip

The Vice President is on a six-day trip to Japan, China and the Republic of Korea. In each country, the Vice President will meet with key leaders to discuss a full range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. The trip will reaffirm our enduring presence as a Pacific power, promote our economic and trade interests, and underscore our commitment to rebalancing U.S. foreign policy towards the Asia-Pacific.

Click here to follow the Vice President's journey.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/foreign-policy/asia-trip-2013?utm_source=snapshot&utm_medium=email&utm_content=120313-topper

Fact Sheet on United States-Japan Global Cooperation: Meeting Modern Challenges

http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/p/tp-20131203-01.html

December 3, 2013

The United States and Japan are dedicated to working together to advance human security, economic prosperity and political stability throughout the world. During their meeting on December 3 in Tokyo, as part of a broader discussion, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Vice President Joe Biden highlighted the following aspects of our global partnership:

Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief

Development Assistance

Contributions to Global Security

Remarks to the Press by Vice President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/12/03/remarks-press-vice-president-joe-biden-and-prime-minister-shinzo-abe-jap

PRIME MINISTER ABE:  (As interpreted.)  I am very much delighted to welcome Vice President Biden here in Japan after meeting in Singapore in July.  We had discussion in a candid manner over various matters of interest between the United States and Japan an issues surrounding this region.

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your hospitality and for the great discussion.  We had good meetings in Singapore, and you had a great meeting with President Obama.  And I was present, and it’s good to see you again.

President Obama Meets with President Santos of Colombia

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/12/03/president-obama-meets-president-santos-colombia

Today, President Obama hosted President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia at the White House. Their visit underscored the growing partnership with Colombia, founded on our shared democratic values, deepening economic ties, and our long history of shared security goals.

Colombia is a respected leader in the region. We are expanding our partnership far beyond security into new areas of mutual interest like commerce, energy access, regional infrastructure and economic integration. Thanks to the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement – a win-win for both countries - U.S. exports to Colombia are up nearly 20 percent, supporting thousands of American jobs and helping to achieve President Obama’s goal of doubling U.S. exports.

Colombia is an example of the profound transformations underway in Latin America. Elections that once were exceptions are now largely the norm. Some of the world’s fastest growing economies are in Latin America and across the region. Tens of millions of people have escaped poverty and entered the middle class. This represents an incredible opportunity for a new era of relations between the United States and the Americas.

The remarkable progress in Colombia, once unthinkable, is a testament to the extraordinary courage and sacrifices of the Colombian security forces and the Colombian people. The President witnessed this progress during last year’s visit to the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena: Colombia now enjoys a new level of security, a dynamic economy, and stronger democratic institutions.

During today’s meeting at the Oval Office, President Obama also praised President Santos’ strong leadership in the peace process:

I congratulated President Santos on his bold and brave efforts to bring about a lasting and just peace inside of Colombia in his negotiations with the FARC. Obviously, this has been a longstanding conflict within Colombia. It is not easy; there are many challenges ahead. But the fact that he has taken this step I think is right, because it sends a signal to the people of Colombia that it is possible to unleash the enormous potential if we can move beyond this conflict. But obviously, there are going to be some very challenging questions moving forward. I’m pleased to see the President’s strong commitment on that front. The United States is supportive of those efforts.

Today’s visit is also a nod to the strong partnership and important role that Colombian-Americans like me, are playing as a growing sector of the Hispanic community in the United States. In recognition of the contributions of Colombian immigrants to the vitality and strength of the nation, the White House has engaged the Colombian-American community by hosting briefings with community leaders here at the White House on the Free Trade Agreement, the economy, health reform and the President’s push for commonsense immigration reform.

As Colombia forges its future, it continues to have a strong partner in the United States. The United States will continue to stand with Colombia should to shoulder as Colombians show the courage and resolve needed to build a future of peace and greater prosperity. 

For more information, read the fact sheet on the strategic partnership between the United States and Colombia.

Katherine Vargas is Director of Hispanic Media