President Obama: Stricter Gun Control and Background Checks

President Barack Obama announces steps the administration is taking to reduce gun violence while delivering a statement Tuesday in the East Room of the White House. Kevin Lamarque/Reuters/Landov

President Barack Obama Tuesday held his first pressĀ conference of the New Year announcing his plans to make gunĀ control regulations already in place stricter. In light of the random mass shootings around the country inĀ the past five years, the President addressed the nation, theĀ press and victims of gun violence and families present inĀ the room.

Obama discussed how more than 30,000 Americans have lostĀ their lives by gun violence that includes suicides, domesticĀ violence, accidents and gang shootings. He noted that theĀ United States is not the only country with violent andĀ dangerous people, but the U.S. frequency of violenceĀ surpasses other advanced countries. He said, ā€œInstead of thinking about how to solve theĀ problem, this has become one of our most polarized, partisanĀ debates, despite the fact that there’s a general consensusĀ in America about what needs to be done. That’s part of theĀ reason why, on Thursday, I’m going to hold a town hallĀ meeting in Virginia on gun violence. Because my goal here isĀ to bring good people on both sides of this issue togetherĀ for an open discussion.ā€

The announcement is an historic milestone for those who haveĀ fought for stricter gun control laws. Although opponentsĀ have challenged the President’s stance on suppressing 2ndĀ Amendment rights, he said 90 percent of Americans supportedĀ that idea. Ā ā€œNinety percent of Democrats in the Senate voted for thatĀ idea. But it failed because 90 percent of Republicans in theĀ Senate voted against that idea,ā€ Obama said.

Although Congress will still need to pass stricter laws,Ā Obama is putting forward a series of executive actions toĀ tighten up the rules and systems that are currently inĀ place. He says commercial and independent owners sellingĀ firearms must be required to have a license and conductĀ background checks, or be subject to criminal prosecutions.Ā This includes gun shows and Internet purchases. Ā Background checks will expand to cover violent criminals andĀ those applicants that suffer from mental health. FederalĀ medical health records on file that trigger mental healthĀ history will be submitted to the background check system andĀ remove barriers that prevent states from reporting relevantĀ information.

There will be a $500 million investment to expand access toĀ more treatment around the country and to provide assistanceĀ to people who are at higher risk for inflicting harm onĀ themselves and others. Ā Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL) was pleased with today’sĀ announcement. ā€œThe thing that is great about this is thatĀ we tend to blame mental health for everything and we wantĀ money for more research and more health,ā€ Kelly said.

Photo Credit John Smierciak/Associated Press
Photo Credit John Smierciak/Associated Press

An advocate for gun violence prevention, Cong. Kelly is theĀ Vice Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force for theĀ Democratic Caucus, as well as a member for the CongressionalĀ Black Caucus task force along with Michigan Rep. BrendaĀ Lawrence. Ā ā€œThis will show that mental health should not get theĀ blame for every gun shooting. One thing that people don’tĀ realize ā€“ suicide is really very prevalent. There areĀ mental issues there, but we tend to blame mental health forĀ everything, which is not true. It’s really access to gunsĀ and they are so free-flowing,ā€ Kelly said.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel issue a statement regarding his fight toĀ put in place stronger gun control mandates. ā€œTheĀ Presidentā€™s actions in the face of Congressional inactionĀ send a forceful signal that this challenge is too importantĀ to ignore,ā€ Emanuel said. Ā ā€œWhile we have taken important steps in the City ofĀ Chicago to keep guns out of the wrong hands, we are not anĀ island. Our gun safety laws will only be as effective as ourĀ federal laws and the laws of our neighboring states. Ā ā€œSo while I strongly support the Presidentā€™s actions, IĀ continue to urge Congress to put politics aside and adoptĀ common-sense gun safety measures that will save lives andĀ make our communities safer and stronger.ā€

As President Obama faces his final year in office, this isĀ one of many gestures that will force executive actions onĀ his part before the White House. As he recognized the youngĀ victims whose lives were taken too soon ā€“ from collegeĀ students in Blacksburg and Santa Barbara, to the highĀ schoolers at Columbine, to the first graders in Newton ā€“Ā he paused, wiping tears away. He said, ā€œEvery time I thinkĀ about those kids, it gets me mad. And by the way, it happensĀ on the streets of Chicago every day.ā€Ā 

Chicagoans noticed the Obamaā€™s reference to the loss ofĀ lives due to gun violence in his hometown. Kelly said, ā€œIĀ was very pleased that he mentioned the ‘every day’ part,Ā because often times we always talk about national things,Ā but don’t talk about the every day murders that occur. Ā ā€œThere’s more that has to be done, like straw purchasesĀ and gun trafficking, but as much as we can keep guns out ofĀ dangerous hands or away from people with mental problems ā€“Ā that will help. It won’t stop everything, but we have to doĀ everything we can.ā€

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