Obama launches aggressive US gun control agenda

US President Barack Obama signed 23 new executive orders on Wednesday to reduce gun violence, and called on Congress to pass a sweeping new set of proposals including a ban on military-style assault weapons like the one used in the Newtown, Connecticut elementary school shooting in December.

“In the month since 20 precious children and six brave adults were violently taken from us at Sandy Hook Elementary, more than 900 of our fellow Americans have reportedly died at the end of a gun,” he said before a room crowded with parents who lost children in the Newtown massacre, victims of other shootings, children who sent letters to the White House urging action on gun violence, and other gun control supporters.

“While there is no law or set of laws that can prevent every senseless act of violence completely, no piece of legislation that will prevent every tragedy, every act of evil, if there’s even one thing we can do to reduce this violence, if there’s even one life that can be saved, then we’ve got an obligation to try,” he added.

Obama asked Congress to pass his proposals “right away,” including:

· A ban on military-style assault weapons

· A 10-round limit on magazine ammunition clips

· A ban on armor-piercing ammunition

· Criminal and mental background checks for anyone trying to buy a gun, including private sales, purchases made over the Internet, and at gun shows

The White House issued a sharply worded response to the NRA video. “Most Americans agree that a president’s children should not be used as pawns in a political fight, said Press Secretary Jay Carney in a statement. “But to go so far as to make the safety of the president’s children the subject of an attack ad is repugnant and cowardly.”

Toward the end of his speech, Obama sought to calm the fears of gun owners concerned about their Second Amendment rights, which protects the right to keep and bear arms.

“There are millions of responsible, law-abiding gun owners in America who cherish their right to bear arms for hunting or sport or protection or collection,” he said.

“I also believe most gun owners agree that we can respect the Second Amendment while keeping an irresponsible, law-breaking few from inflicting harm on a massive scale. I believe most of them agree that if America worked harder to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, there would be fewer atrocities like the one that occurred in Newtown,” he added.