The President is rolling out a sweeping package to address gun violence.
The package includes new gun laws that would require action from Congress as well as steps the president is taking on his own.
With a stroke of a pen, President Obama signed 23 executive orders combating gun violence.
One directs the Center for Disease Control to study gun violence. Another helps young people get mental health treatment.
"If there is even one life that can be saved, then we've got an obligation to try," explained President Obama.
The president called for a ban of assault weapons and ammunition magazines with more than 10 rounds. He also wants background checks for everyone buying a gun.
"I'm calling on Congress to pass some very specific proposals, right away," Obama addressed.
Children who wrote the president after the Connecticut school shooting were in the audience for the announcement. So was Annette Holt, whose son Blair was gunned down on a Chicago city bus.
"I used to always tell Blair, 'do good' and today the president did that," Annette Holt said afterward.
The president said change will not happen without help from the public. He urged gun owners to pressure the NRA and their lawmakers to support new gun laws.
"The assault weapons ban, the magazine limitation, does not solve the problem of gun crime," stated Washington Republican Representative Dave Reichert.
The President is also facing opposition from gun rights groups.
"The easy thing is, let's just pass a law, pass a regulation, and then everybody feels better," said Jane Weaver of Second Amendment Sisters.
The NRA said in a statement it looks forward to working with Congress but that attacking firearms and ignoring children is not the solution.
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Senator Casey provided the following comments on the President's statement:
“While I want to closely examine the executive and legislative proposals set forth by the President, they include some very positive and reasonable steps to address the problem.
The American people deserve a thoughtful effort to reach a comprehensive solution to address gun violence. It is critical that this includes increased funding for local law enforcement programs like the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) Program, and the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program, as well as measures to address mental health.
I continue to be a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, and believe in the right of citizens to own guns for their own protection as well as for hunting, recreation, and collection. Nonetheless, after reflecting on the power of the weapon and the number of bullets that hit each child in Sandy Hook, the reinstatement of a ban on military-style weapons and high capacity magazines are two common-sense steps that I support.
Moving forward, my hope is that Republicans and Democrats will come together and act in response to this great tragedy. I remain optimistic that the sense of urgency we all felt after Sandy Hook will not be diminished by time or any partisan battles.”
Mayor Linda Thompson was in Washington D.C. and gave the following thoughts on the President's announcement:
Harrisburg Mayor Linda D. Thompson joined President Obama in Washington today to call upon Congress to strengthen America’s gun laws to confront mass shootings and common gun violence by strengthening America’s gun laws following the broadest public pressure for gun control in decades.
At the White House event at noon, Mayor Thompson said, “this is a bold and comprehensive plan to end the sale of military-styled weaponry in America and end mass gun violence. The president is offering sensible solutions that Americans across the nation are demanding right now.”
The President announced plans to introduce legislation next week that includes a ban on assault weapons, limits on high-capacity magazines, expanded background checks for gun purchases and new gun trafficking laws to crack down on the spread of weapons across the country.
“These are precisely the actions the Mayors Against Illegal Guns have called for since the tragedy in Newton, Conn. last month,” Thompson said. “We congratulate the President today.”
President Obama promised to act without Congressional approval to increase the enforcement of existing gun laws and improve the flow of information among federal agencies to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and others who shouldn’t have them.
The President’s proposals also require criminal background checks for all gun sales, closing the longstanding loophole that allows gun buyers to avoid such checks by purchasing their weapons at gun shows or from a private seller.
The background check database, in place since 1996, has stopped 1.5 million sales to felons, fugitives, convicted domestic abusers and others; but today almost 40 percent of all gun sales are exempt from the system.
Mayor Thompson said she will call on Pennsylvania representatives in Washington to “support a tougher ban on military style assault weapons, limit the number of rounds that can be in a magazine to 10, and require criminal background checks for all gun sales.”
“It's up to lawmakers in Congress now to pass these measures that will help save lives. The American people won't accept inaction any longer." She added. “We have worked for six years to help make this day happened.”
The package includes new gun laws that would require action from Congress as well as steps the president is taking on his own.
With a stroke of a pen, President Obama signed 23 executive orders combating gun violence.
One directs the Center for Disease Control to study gun violence. Another helps young people get mental health treatment.
"If there is even one life that can be saved, then we've got an obligation to try," explained President Obama.
The president called for a ban of assault weapons and ammunition magazines with more than 10 rounds. He also wants background checks for everyone buying a gun.
"I'm calling on Congress to pass some very specific proposals, right away," Obama addressed.
Children who wrote the president after the Connecticut school shooting were in the audience for the announcement. So was Annette Holt, whose son Blair was gunned down on a Chicago city bus.
"I used to always tell Blair, 'do good' and today the president did that," Annette Holt said afterward.
The president said change will not happen without help from the public. He urged gun owners to pressure the NRA and their lawmakers to support new gun laws.
"The assault weapons ban, the magazine limitation, does not solve the problem of gun crime," stated Washington Republican Representative Dave Reichert.
The President is also facing opposition from gun rights groups.
"The easy thing is, let's just pass a law, pass a regulation, and then everybody feels better," said Jane Weaver of Second Amendment Sisters.
The NRA said in a statement it looks forward to working with Congress but that attacking firearms and ignoring children is not the solution.
____________________________________________
Senator Casey provided the following comments on the President's statement:
“While I want to closely examine the executive and legislative proposals set forth by the President, they include some very positive and reasonable steps to address the problem.
The American people deserve a thoughtful effort to reach a comprehensive solution to address gun violence. It is critical that this includes increased funding for local law enforcement programs like the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Program, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) Program, and the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program, as well as measures to address mental health.
I continue to be a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, and believe in the right of citizens to own guns for their own protection as well as for hunting, recreation, and collection. Nonetheless, after reflecting on the power of the weapon and the number of bullets that hit each child in Sandy Hook, the reinstatement of a ban on military-style weapons and high capacity magazines are two common-sense steps that I support.
Moving forward, my hope is that Republicans and Democrats will come together and act in response to this great tragedy. I remain optimistic that the sense of urgency we all felt after Sandy Hook will not be diminished by time or any partisan battles.”
Mayor Linda Thompson was in Washington D.C. and gave the following thoughts on the President's announcement:
Harrisburg Mayor Linda D. Thompson joined President Obama in Washington today to call upon Congress to strengthen America’s gun laws to confront mass shootings and common gun violence by strengthening America’s gun laws following the broadest public pressure for gun control in decades.
At the White House event at noon, Mayor Thompson said, “this is a bold and comprehensive plan to end the sale of military-styled weaponry in America and end mass gun violence. The president is offering sensible solutions that Americans across the nation are demanding right now.”
The President announced plans to introduce legislation next week that includes a ban on assault weapons, limits on high-capacity magazines, expanded background checks for gun purchases and new gun trafficking laws to crack down on the spread of weapons across the country.
“These are precisely the actions the Mayors Against Illegal Guns have called for since the tragedy in Newton, Conn. last month,” Thompson said. “We congratulate the President today.”
President Obama promised to act without Congressional approval to increase the enforcement of existing gun laws and improve the flow of information among federal agencies to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and others who shouldn’t have them.
The President’s proposals also require criminal background checks for all gun sales, closing the longstanding loophole that allows gun buyers to avoid such checks by purchasing their weapons at gun shows or from a private seller.
The background check database, in place since 1996, has stopped 1.5 million sales to felons, fugitives, convicted domestic abusers and others; but today almost 40 percent of all gun sales are exempt from the system.
Mayor Thompson said she will call on Pennsylvania representatives in Washington to “support a tougher ban on military style assault weapons, limit the number of rounds that can be in a magazine to 10, and require criminal background checks for all gun sales.”
“It's up to lawmakers in Congress now to pass these measures that will help save lives. The American people won't accept inaction any longer." She added. “We have worked for six years to help make this day happened.”