Obama signs 23 executive orders, unveils proposals to curb gun violence

Washington, DC, United States (4E) – U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed 23 executive orders and revealed proposals aimed at preventing a repeat of last month’s massacre of 20 schoolchildren and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

The gun control actions Obama signed at the White House include ending a freeze on research into gun violence, providing additional tools to prevent and prosecute gun crime, strengthening the existing background-check system on gun buyers and training in dealing with “active shooter situations.

Vice President Joe Biden along with children who wrote letters to Obama pleading him to curb gun violence witnessed him sign the orders after speaking to an audience and the press about his actions.

In his speech, Obama said the White House also will work with Congress to come up with gun control legislations, including reinstating and strengthening of the assault weapons ban, restoring a 10-round limit on ammunition magazines, getting rid of armor-piercing bullets and increasing penalties on gun traffickers who arm criminals.

It also provides for funding of 15,000 police officers who will guard community streets and allowing communities to hire up to 1,000 school resource officers and school counselors.

Obama’s actions and proposal came a day after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a gun control bill expanding a ban on assault weapons.

Cuomo signed the bill just less than an hour after the state assembly passed it via a 104-43 vote and a day after the state senate approved the same via a 43-18 vote. The law also limits permissible gun magazines to 7 rounds from 10, prevents mentally ill people from possessing firearms, and increases the penalty for criminals who use guns.

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