Obama Details Executive Plans Against Gun Violence in US

In all of President Barack Obama's time in the oval office, a large number of crimes have been committed from gun violence, many of which included mass murders of children and other innocent civilians.

Always an advocate for gun control laws, the President of the United States unveiled several measures today to promote his gun safety agenda, saying that he can no longer wait for an end to the political gridlock to reduce violence in the country.

Addressing a full room of gun safety advocates and gun violence survivors, Obama said at the East Room of the White House, "The constant excuses for inaction no longer do. No longer suffice. That's why we're here today. Not to debate the last mass shooting, but to do something to try to prevent the next one."

He added, "Until we have a Congress that's in line with the majority of Americans, there are actions within my legal authority that we can take to help reduce gun violence to save more lives."

The president then shared major gun violence crimes during his term as president, recalling the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting in Connecticut as the worst day of his presidency. He teared up as he told people in the room, "Every time I think about those kids it gets me mad. And, by the way, it happens on the streets of Chicago every day."

Among the executive actions that Obama proposed, as noted by ABC News, include investments for mental health access, research into gun safety technology and additional agents and investigators on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

He also proposed to clarify an existing law requiring anyone who sells guns for a living to register as a firearms dealer, as well as for them to conduct background checks on their clients.

Despite House Speaker Paul Ryan's accusation of the president "subverting his legislative branch, and potentially overturning its will," the president assured that these executive actions on gun control are well within his legal authority. They are also consistent with the Second Amendment as well as people's lawful right to bear arms.

Obama did admit that gun control laws will not solve every crime in the country, nor will they prevent every mass shooting. However, he said that "it will potentially save lives in this country and spare families the pain and the extraordinary loss that they've suffered as a consequence of a firearm being in the hands of wrong people."

Reuters reported that Obama will again discuss gun violence in a live telecast on CNN on Thursday, as well as during his State of the Union address next Tuesday.