[h=3]By JARED A. FAVOLE[/h]WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama is considering executive action to prevent gun violence, Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday, suggesting that even if Congress doesn't act gun laws in the U.S. will change.
"The president is going to act," Mr. Biden said while surrounded by Attorney General Eric Holder and gun-safety advocates and victims of gun violence. "I want to make clear that we're not going to get caught up in the notion that, unless we can do everything, we're going to do nothing."
Mr. Biden's comments come several weeks before he is set to provide Mr. Obama with a range of ideas about how to prevent gun violence. The White House hasn't settled on what steps Mr. Obama is going to take but it has said the president wants to ban assault weapons and close a loophole in the law that allows people to buy weapons at gun shows without a background check.
Any changes will likely cause a backlash from gun owners and gun-rights advocates. Some gun-rights advocates have said they are open to changing gun laws but powerful gun groups such as the National Rifle Association have opposed them.
Getty ImagesVice President Joe Biden said President Barack Obama is considering taking executive action to prevent gun violence.
The NRA in recent weeks has opposed new laws and called instead for armed guards in schools—something Mr. Obama has said he is skeptical of. Mr. Biden is meeting with the NRA on Thursday. Asked what message he would bring to the group, Mr. Biden declined to answer.
The recent fervor to consider changes to gun laws was sparked by the shooting last month in Newtown, Conn., where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The shooting also called into question mental-health laws and violence in movies and videogames, something the Biden-led group is also looking at.
The White House isn't alone in considering changes. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a possible 2016 White House contender, said this week he will try to ban more types of semiautomatic weapons, require many more gun owners to renew their licenses and limit the size of gun magazines. New York already has what gun-safety advocates say are strong gun laws.
The vice president's meeting Wednesday included representatives from the Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, and families and survivors of mass shootings. Mr. Biden has already met with law-enforcement officials and said he has talked with religious leaders to get their input.
Other cabinet members are also playing a role in the administration's effort. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will speak with education groups, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is meeting with mental-health and disability advocates.
—Jacob Gershman contributed to this article.Write to Jared A. Favole at [email protected]
"The president is going to act," Mr. Biden said while surrounded by Attorney General Eric Holder and gun-safety advocates and victims of gun violence. "I want to make clear that we're not going to get caught up in the notion that, unless we can do everything, we're going to do nothing."
Mr. Biden's comments come several weeks before he is set to provide Mr. Obama with a range of ideas about how to prevent gun violence. The White House hasn't settled on what steps Mr. Obama is going to take but it has said the president wants to ban assault weapons and close a loophole in the law that allows people to buy weapons at gun shows without a background check.
Any changes will likely cause a backlash from gun owners and gun-rights advocates. Some gun-rights advocates have said they are open to changing gun laws but powerful gun groups such as the National Rifle Association have opposed them.
Getty ImagesVice President Joe Biden said President Barack Obama is considering taking executive action to prevent gun violence.
The NRA in recent weeks has opposed new laws and called instead for armed guards in schools—something Mr. Obama has said he is skeptical of. Mr. Biden is meeting with the NRA on Thursday. Asked what message he would bring to the group, Mr. Biden declined to answer.
The recent fervor to consider changes to gun laws was sparked by the shooting last month in Newtown, Conn., where a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The shooting also called into question mental-health laws and violence in movies and videogames, something the Biden-led group is also looking at.
The White House isn't alone in considering changes. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a possible 2016 White House contender, said this week he will try to ban more types of semiautomatic weapons, require many more gun owners to renew their licenses and limit the size of gun magazines. New York already has what gun-safety advocates say are strong gun laws.
The vice president's meeting Wednesday included representatives from the Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, and families and survivors of mass shootings. Mr. Biden has already met with law-enforcement officials and said he has talked with religious leaders to get their input.
Other cabinet members are also playing a role in the administration's effort. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will speak with education groups, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is meeting with mental-health and disability advocates.
—Jacob Gershman contributed to this article.Write to Jared A. Favole at [email protected]