--- title: President Obama Announces Executive Action on Gun Control description: President Barack Obama officially announced his executive actions aimed at reducing gun violence in a press conference on Tuesday canonical: https://time.com/4167749/obama-gun-control-remarks/ author: Katie Reilly article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-01-05T17:18:41.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-13T21:07:25.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: President Obama Announces Executive Action on Gun Control og:description: The President urged political leaders to support 'common-sense' gun control og:url: https://time.com/4167749/obama-gun-control-remarks/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb4815894ee0f0ab5/698877c30b72e3b2056e7852/obama-gun-control-announcement.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: Barack Obama Cries While Revealing New Gun Control Measures - Washington og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: President Obama Announces Executive Action on Gun Control twitter:description: The President urged political leaders to support 'common-sense' gun control twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb4815894ee0f0ab5/698877c30b72e3b2056e7852/obama-gun-control-announcement.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # President Obama Announces Executive Action on Gun Control > Sponsored content. 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There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=f1afc28e-180d-4b32-aaee-b7da34c3fe4d&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: TIME Raw: Obama Announces Gun Control Measure [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Raw: Obama Announces Gun Control Measure](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/AdUlAkP7.m3u8) (2:23)  _Published 2016-01-05_  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Updated: Dec 13, 2023 9:07 PM UTCPublished: Jan 5, 2016 5:18 PM UTC  President Obama announces executive actions intended to expand background checks for some firearm purchases and step up federal enforcement of the nation's gun laws during a news conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., Jan. 5 2016. President Obama announces executive actions intended to expand background checks for some firearm purchases and step up federal enforcement of the nation's gun laws during a news conference at the White House in Washington, D.C., Jan. 5 2016. Olivier Douliery—Sipa USA/AP  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Updated: Dec 13, 2023 9:07 PM UTCPublished: Jan 5, 2016 5:18 PM UTC President Barack Obama officially announced his [executive actions aimed at reducing gun violence](http://time.com/4166989/gun-control-obama-executive-action/) in a press conference on Tuesday, stressing the importance of background checks and expressing his frustration with mass shootings around the country. The actions primarily aim to fix the [so-called gun show loophole](http://time.com/4167475/obama-gun-control-executive-action/) by requiring that anyone in the business of selling firearms — in stores, online and at gun shows —must have a license and conduct background checks on people trying to buy guns, though they won’t be required in every instance. Obama said he also plans to take steps to make background checks more efficient and secure. An emotional Obama wiped tears from his eyes, speaking about the many mass shootings that have taken place in the country during his presidency. “Second Amendment rights are important. There are other rights that we care about as well. We have to be able to balance them because our right to worship freely and safely — that right was denied to the Christians in Charleston, S.C., and that was denied Jews in Kansas City and that was denied Muslims in Chapel Hill and Sikhs in Oak Creek,” he said, referencing recent shootings. Obama said people purchasing firearms online and at gun shows need to be held to the same background check standards as people buying guns in stores. “Instead of thinking about how to solve the problem, this has become one of our most polarized, partisan debates despite the fact that there’s a general consensus in America about what needs to be done,” Obama said on Tuesday, urging political leaders and voters to do their part to support gun control measures. **Read more:** [Background Checks for Gun Sales Break U.S. Record in 2015](http://time.com/4166208/background-checks-gun-sales/) The executive actions have been met with backlash from many who say they infringe on the right to bear arms, something Obama responded to during the press conference. “I believe in the Second Amendment. It’s there written on the paper. It guarantees a right to bear arms. No matter how many times people try to twist my words around, I taught constitutional law. I know a little bit about this. I get it. But I also believe that we can find ways to reduce gun violence consistent with the Second Amendment,” Obama said. Obama will host a televised town hall on gun violence on Thursday at George Mason University in Virginia. ## Transcript [ APPLAUSE ] The United States of America is not the only country on Earth with violent, or dangerous people. We are not, inherently, more prone to violence. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] But we are the only advanced country on earth that sees this kind of mass violence, erupt with this kind of frequency. We can respect the second amendment while keeping an irresponsible law breaking few from inflicting harm on a massive scale. Anybody in the business of selling firearms must get a license and conduct background checks, or be subject to criminal prosecutions. We're gonna do everything we can to ensure the smart and effective enforcement of gun safety laws that are already on the books. Which means we're gonna add 200 more ATF agents and investigators. We're gonna require firearms dealers to report more or less, more lost or stolen guns. We're gonna do more to help those suffering from mental illness get the help that they need. We need to develop new technologies to make guns safer. If we can set it up so you can't unlock your phone unless you got the right fingerprint, [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Why can't we do the same thing for our guns? Our inalienable right to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness, those rights were stripped from college kids in Blacksburg and Santa Barbara. And from high schoolers at Columbine And from first graders in new town first graders and from every family who Who never imagined that their loved one would be taken from our lives by a bullet from a gun. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] Every time I think about those kids, it gets me mad. 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