President Barack Obama unveiled new gun-control proposals on Wednesday that includes universal background checks on all gun buyers and a renewed ban on assault rifle weapons.
"I am putting forward a specific set of proposals based on the work of (the vice president's) task force," Obama said. "In the days ahead, I intend to use whatever weight this office holds to make them a reality."
"This is our first task as a society," Obama said at a White House ceremony. "Keeping our children safe."
In his announcement, Obama outlined 23 executive actions that, he says, will be initiated immediately. These measures include increasing intra-agency information sharing relating to guns, green lighting new government funded gun violence research and doing more to treat mental health issues, particularly among affected young people.
The president and Vice President Biden developed the plan after a series of meetings with 229 groups involved in gun violence issues. They made the announcement alongside children who had written in letters to the White House asking them to make their schools safe.
After reading some of those letters, Obama said: "These are our kids."
The president also proposed universal background checks, a ban on military type assault rifles, a ten round limit for ammunition magazines and eliminating armor piercing bullets. It's up to Congress to act on these measures.
The White House issued a written plan with four goals: Keeping guns out of the wrong hands, getting "weapons of war" off the streets, upgrading school safety, and improving mental health services.
