President Obama will press ahead with a set of executive actions on guns next week despite growing concerns in the U.S. over terrorism that have dampened some Americans’ enthusiasm for tighter firearms restrictions, according to several individuals briefed on the matter.
The president will meet with Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch on Monday to finalize a series of new gun control measures, according to several individuals who asked for anonymity because the plan was not yet public, and announce his package of proposals shortly after that.
One of the main proposals Obama is poised to adopt–expanding new background-check requirements for buyers who purchase weapons from high-volume gun dealers -enjoys overwhelming public support: a Quinnipiac University poll in December found 89 percent supported background checks at gun shows and for online sales.
But Obama’s executive actions also come as Americans have become more fearful about the prospect of terrorist strikes and have voiced an openness to having ordinary citizens carry guns.
A Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted last month in the wake of the San Bernardino, Calif. terrorist shooting, for example, found that 53 percent of respondents opposed an assault weapons ban, a record high. When asked which is the better reaction to terrorism, 47 percent said encouraging more people to carry guns legally, while 42 percent preferred enacting stricter gun-control laws.
White House officials declined to comment on Obama’s plans beyond releasing his weekly radio address on Friday, a day earlier than usual. In the radio address, Obama said he was moving unilaterally because Congress had failed to address the growing problem of gun violence.
“A few months ago, I directed my team at the White House to look into any new actions I can take to help reduce gun violence,” he said in the recorded address. “And on Monday, I’ll meet with our Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, to discuss our options.”
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“Because I get too many letters from parents, and teachers, and kids, to sit around and do nothing,” Obama continued. “I get letters from responsible gun owners who grieve with us every time these tragedies happen; who share my belief that the Second Amendment guarantees a right to bear arms; and who share my belief we can protect that right while keeping an irresponsible, dangerous few from inflicting harm on a massive scale.”
The president plans to make his case for additional gun restrictions in a number of forums in the coming month, according to aides, including during his Jan. 12 State of the Union address.
[President Obama on current level of U.S. gun violence: ‘This is not normal.’]
Obama began examining how he could tighten the nation’s gun rules after October’s mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., but administration lawyers have spent months reviewing any proposals to ensure they can withstand legal scrutiny. The idea of requiring informal gun dealers to obtain a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and perform background checks on potential buyers first came up two years ago, but was shelved over legal concerns.
White House officials have conducted their review in relative secrecy, soliciting input from gun safety groups without specifying which policies they will ultimately adopt. In the past month Obama has met with former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), who was gravely injured in a 2011 mass shooting, and her husband Mark Kelly, as well with with former New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and the president of Everytown for Gun Safety, which Bloomberg helped start.
The administration has shut out congressional Republicans, who joined with some Democrats in helping block legislation to expand background checks after the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.
“The administration has not communicated with us, and we have not been briefed,” said Doug Andres, a spokesman for House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) in an email. “We will consider options once we have information, but what seems apparent is none of these ideas would have prevented the recent atrocities. Our focus should be on the consistent causes of these acts – mental illnesses and terrorism – rather than infringing on law-abiding Americans’ constitutional rights.”
The current federal statute the administration is eyeing dictates that those who are “engaged in the business” of dealing firearms need to obtain a federal license — and, therefore, conduct background checks — but exempts anyone “who makes occasional sales, exchanges, or purchases of firearms for the enhancement of a personal collection or for a hobby, or who sells all or part of his personal collection of firearms.”
It is unclear how many possible deals any change in the rule would affect, since these activities are not formally tracked. Also, the guns purchased for several recent mass shootings–in both Roseburg and San Bernardino–were done legally, and subject to background checks.
Everytown spokeswoman Erika Soto Lamb said the current interpretation of what it means to be “engaged in the business” of selling firearms is “a hazy definition that allows high-volume sellers to transfer thousands of guns without background checks, no questions asked.”
In a New Year’s Day message, President Obama said his resolution for 2016 was to complete “unfinished business,” adding that tackling gun violence was at the top of the list. (Reuters)
[This is what the White House wants to do on guns]
Any action by the president is sure to trigger a major backlash from gun rights activists, as well as Republican lawmakers. On Thursday, the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action launched the first in a video series attacking gun control advocates.
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