What are Obama's gun control proposals?

President Obama's gun safety proposals will deal with access to firearms and ammunition, school safety, mental health awareness and treatment as well as how the federal government and states run background checks and on the types of gun sales subject to those checks. / Alex Wong

President Obama will formally announce his proposals today for reducing gun violence in America, setting the stage for what may well be a protracted congressional fight over tightening up gun control -- one of the most politically contentious issues in Washington.

While the president reportedly plans to implement a list of 19 executive orders - laws that can be changed without congressional action, including some that are related to data collection on firearms in the hands of criminals and overall gun violence - there are a few ideas that he needs to work with Congress on that he and Vice President Joe Biden have already discussed in public.

• Is Obama gearing up for the same old gun control fight?
• Obama hints at "steps" for bypassing Congress on guns

Here's a rundown of some of the proposals Mr. Obama is expected to outline, and what they would do:

Assault weapons ban

Congress passed the original assault weapons ban in 1994, thus imposing a 10-year ban on 19 types of military-style assault weapons, including semi-automatic rifles and pistols like AK-47s and Uzis. But the provision, which was originally authored by then-Sen. Biden, languished in Congress when it was up for reauthorization, and subsequent efforts to reinstate it have fallen short. Mr. Obama has long supported reinstating the ban, but his current efforts mark the first time in his presidency that he's made a hard legislative push to get the law back in the books. According to White House sources, Mr. Obama's weapons ban will be tougher than the one that expired in 2004 is closely aligned with the legislation being drafted by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., though even some Democrats - including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. - are skeptical such a law can make its way through Congress in the face of strong opposition from the National Rifle Association.

Ban on high-capacity magazines

One issue that has surfaced in the wake of recent mass shootings is the legality of high-capacity ammunition magazines, which can enable a shooter to fire off dozens of rounds of ammunition without having to reload. The prevalence of these kinds of clips in recent shootings -- including this summer's movie theater rampage in Aurora, Colo., as well as the recent massacre in Newtown, Conn. -- has led to a chorus of cries that they be banned. CBS News has learned the White House will push for magazines to be capped at 10 bullets per.

Universal background checks

In meetings with stakeholders about reducing gun violence last week, Biden stressed what he called a "surprising recurrence of suggestions that we have universal background checks" for gun owners across the nation. Now, the idea of universal criminal and mental health background checks for all firearms sales is emerging as the central priority in the president's campaign. Currently, criminal background checks are required only for guns sold through licensed firearm dealers, which according to the Campaign to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) account for only 60 percent of gun sales in the United States. One loophole also allows those not "engaged in the business" of gun selling to peddle firearms without a license or without filing any paperwork -- which means that, according to the CSGV, only three of every five guns are sold in conjunction with background checks. Today, Mr. Obama will urge lawmakers to help shore up those loopholes.

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[RHBARNES]

What I don't get is that it is almost impossible to buy ammo for any type of gun right now other than 7.62 rounds! which if I'm not mistaking, is what all this talk is about ( assault weapons). What is the logic behind all that?

Anyway, The Right To Bear Arms is Our Constitutional Right. However, thats not much good without ammo. So whats up with That????!!!!!

Is the government buying up the ammo?.... Don't know. Just heard rumors.

Laws are for law abiding citizens! Not Convicts!!!! Prohibition didn't work either. I understand that the president fills a sense of responsibility and wants to do something to make the country safer. However, There are a lot of people that shoot guns for sport, hobby, and personal protection. I'am one of them. Restricting output isn't the answer either it only stops the legal shooting for sport. The bad guys are simply saving there ammo. While the rest of us are paying higher prices due to scarcity!!!

[Zachery798]

Just look at the California legal AR 15's, those laws are perfectly fine with me, 10 round clip and the magazine can't be released with just the touch of a finger. Being in the military I do feel comfortable with the AR 15, though it doesn't serve much of a purpose for home defense, I'd rather grab my 12 gauge for that purpose. That being said if I want to own an AR 15 I should be able to, I could do a lot more damage with a cheaper 30-6 anyway

[Patricia0987654321]

This is all fine and good and majority of the law abiding citizens don't have a problem with this with one EXCEPTION...How is this going to help? The problem is with the illegal guns that the criminals are running around with! Why not just put armed guards in our schools???

[Shylo97]

The comments passionately made on both sides of gun control are legitimate for the most part. I think both sides agree that innocent people should not have to suffer at the hands of a person who feels that somehow killing others will make them "feel better" or solve their problem. Not every person who picks up a gun and uses it to kill is necessarily "unstable" or as some have said, a "wacko". This is where there are some very difficult questions that need to be asked and answered. How can we reach those who are at the breaking point before they reach for a gun? Can we teach (and practice) tolerance? How do you respect the value of human life when there is so much violence all around us? We can't just pursue the banning of guns to stop gun violence; it simply won't work. It is a lot like the U.S. war on illegal drugs; banning them hasn't kept them out of the hands of those who use or sell them. By the way, there were no guns involved at Oklahoma City or the World Trade Center; just pointing out that people found a way to kill thousands without having to use a gun.

[lacarter11]

How many of the crazed shooters were on drugs or had a history of drug use?
Why isn't the government or news media saying anything about the war on drugs?
Close the Mexican Border and solve two problems.

[Shylo97]

Wasn't it not too long ago when the U.S.A. complained to Mexico about not doing enough to stem the flow of drugs across the border? I think that they replied that we should do something about the number of guns getting into the Cartel's hands from THIS side of the border. Hmmmm..maybe you have something here!

[LoveWinsAll]

It really has nothing to do with guns. Violent people will always have their means. Change them. With all guns gone, how would ordinary citizens hold them back much less hold back foreign power taking America with our troops always in another country? It is not a citizen killing person. We have more citizens always - they should have access. What about gun sellers having a short course on having the skill to "decline" or refuse a sale? The person could then always go to court and have a judge write the order that the court overrules the decline. Few gun salesmen are interested in outfitting the error. Point of sale would be a better place - there are some very responsible gun sellers.

[HumbertoGonzo]

The hypocrisy of the Obama administration has no bounds.

DHS buys 7000 full-auto assault rifles(machine guns) calls them "personal defense weapons"
Google it!
Apparently, when YOU hold an AR-15,It's an "assault rifle" But magically, if you hand that same rifle to an armed government homeland security enforcer, it instantly transforms into a "personal defense weapon"

[ericmpeloquin]

I think its stupid that the government thinks that making new regulations is going to keep people that don't follow regulations be more law abiding. That's why criminals are criminals because they don't follow the law. If somebody wants to shoot up a school getting a hold of a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds isn't going to be a problem because they are already out there.
I think if the government wants to make any change they should make breaking these laws more severe, not make it harder for good law abiding citizens to protect themselves, like the stupid New York Governor, some people should not speak on behalf of their constituents. They are morons, all this is going to do is cause people to lash out, then the government will try to take guns away because they are way to dangerous which means they don't want to get taken over. Then it will start a war,and a lot of good American people are going to die.
I'm not down with this, I think these idiots that think for some crazy reason that criminals will start following laws is the dumbest thing I've ever heard and is sickening to think they are in charge of changing laws.
If Texas ever becomes its own country I'll definitely be the first on the move there.
Well that's my soap box, and that's how I feel, I'm 29 now and I've been carrying legally since I was 21, and I can't wait for the day for some Pansy that thinks he can walk in to somewhere I am and think he is going to start killing people. I pray everyday that when that happens in my town that I am there so I can let that fool know that kids being killed in a school or families being torn apart in a movie theater isn't going to happen around me. Ill be the first on to draw down on that person and make sure that he's not around to tell people that he was having some stupid break down. Somebody in their family can bury that person in a shallow grave in a cardboard box.

[peter_out]

Do like Seattle. People should sell their guns to Obama so that Obama can donate them to the Muslim Brotherhood cronies in Egypt instead of expensive F-16s.

F-16s in Muslim Brotherhood hands would be bad for Israel, plus Obama is busted so he could only borrow Chinese money that would have to be paid back by American children later, to pay for the F-16s.

Whose idea was it anyway to borrow money from China to buy expensive jets for the Muslim Brotherhood, who have sworn death upon us?

The mentally ill and criminals would be first in line to sell their guns to Obama because they could use the money because they lost their jobs.

[scpttbird]

MR_JQ replies: linkiconreporticonemailiconIn America you are innocent until proven guilty. We do not preemptive judge anyone before they commit a crime.

I think everyone in the U.S.A should read toyr post. It is full of facts, and the results of those facts. I also agree with everything you wrote. I feel you should post this to the whitehouse blog. I am not saying they would read it, but someone may and find the sound facts, it could help persuade one person, that may be all it takes. I do not want to copy and paste it, after all it is not my work, and I do not want the credit, nor do I want to be in the spotlight. all the same I wnt to thank you for posting it, and I hope you will keep on fighting with the rest of us.