President Joe Biden announced the creation of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention during an event in the White House Rose Garden Friday afternoon.

Biden said the executive order is intended to send a clear message about how important the issue of gun violence is to him and the nation.

“It matters,” he said.”Here’s why. After every mass shooting, we hear a simple message, the same message all over the country: Do something, please do something.”

There has been a rash of gun violence in New Mexico including two shootings in Albuquerque that left two children dead. 

In response to these shootings, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued executive orders about gun violence and illegal drugs.

The original gun violence-related executive public health order banned firearms in Bernalillo County for 30 days, following legal challenges, rallies and a request for a special session to deal with gun violence, Lujan Grisham removed that section of the order. She said that she would not call a special legislative session to address gon violence.

Vice President Kamala Harris will oversee the new office.

Biden Administration gun violence policy advisor Stefanie Feldman will serve as the Office’s director with gun violence advocates Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox who will both serve as the Office’s deputy directors.

“The Office of Gun Violence Prevention builds on historic actions taken by President Biden to end gun violence in our country: including signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant legislative action in nearly 30 years aimed at doing so, and taking more meaningful executive action than any other president to make our schools, churches, grocery stores, and communities safer,” a press release about the Office stated.