Obama unveils sweeping gun plan, concedes tough fight ahead

STAR TRIBUNE
Article by: PAUL WEST, KATHLEEN HENNESSEY and RICHARD SIMON
WASHINGTON -- Pledging to "put everything I've got into this," a somber President Obama unveiled the most sweeping proposals for curbing gun violence in two decades, pressing a reluctant Congress to pass universal background checks and bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines like the ones used in the Newtown, Conn., school shootings.

Surrounded by children who wrote him letters seeking curbs on guns, Obama committed himself to a high-profile and politically volatile campaign behind proposals assembled by Vice President Joe Biden that will test the administration's strength heading into the next four years. The first big push of Obama's second term, then, will come on an issue that was not even on his to-do list on Election Day when voters renewed his lease on the presidency. "I will put everything I've got into this," Obama said, "and so will Joe."

The emotionally charged ceremony, attended by family members of those killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School, reflected a decision by the White House to seize on public outrage to challenge the political power of the National Rifle Association and other forces that have successfully fought new gun laws for decades.

The plan, which includes 23 executive actions, was described as a major initiative by advocates on both sides of the debate. The most important parts of Obama's plan will require congressional approval. They include a federal ban on the sale of military-style assault weapons, with fewer loopholes than the 1994 law that expired in 2004. Several states already have such bans. The president also wants to reinstate an earlier ban on sales of magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds.

Obama also wants to expand the background-check system to encompass all gun purchases, including the nearly 40 percent that are estimated to occur at gun shows and in private sales. Six states require background checks on all firearms sold at gun shows, according to the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.

Federally licensed gun dealers are already required to run checks to ensure that potential buyers have not been convicted of a felony or domestic violence, or committed to a mental institution. But for years, the National Rifle Association and its allies in Congress have blocked universal background checks.

Obama said his response to that opposition will be to try to mobilize public support. "I tell you, the only way we can change is if the American people demand it," Obama said.

Obama announced numerous initiatives. He said the background-check system would be strengthened by, among other steps, making it easier for states to share information about mentally ill persons who should be prohibited from owning guns. He also proposed spending for increased training in the areas of school safety and metal health.

The price tag of the package is nearly $4.5 billion, the White House said. Most of it -- $4 billion -- would subsidize the cost of keeping 15,000 police on the streets, renewing a portion of an earlier Obama jobs initiative that failed to gain approval in Congress.

Foes of gun control condemned Obama's actions, calling them an infringement of the rights of gun owners and an ineffective response to gun violence. Typical was the response of Sen. Marco Rubio, a potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate, who said Obama "is again abusing his power by imposing his policies via executive fiat instead of allowing them to be debated in Congress."

The NRA echoed its criticisms of Obama. "Attacking firearms and ignoring children is not a solution to the crisis we face as a nation," the group said in a statement. "Only honest, law-abiding gun owners will be affected and our children will remain vulnerable to the inevitability of more tragedy."