MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) – President Barack Obama pressed Congress yesterday to at least hold a vote on banning assault weapons, the most contentious part of his plan to curb gun violence in the United States.
Obama’s comments suggested a realisation in the White House that it will be difficult to get such a ban passed by lawmakers, despite consistent public support for the measure.
Opposition is high in Congress, including among some Democrats, and by calling simply for a vote, Obama seemed to acknowledge that even getting that far – let alone having an assault weapons ban approved – would be a struggle.
“We should restore the ban on military style assault weapons and a 10-round limit for magazines. And that deserves a vote in Congress, because weapons of war have no place on our streets,” Obama said as uniformed law enforcement officers stood behind him at the Minneapolis Police Department’s Special Operation Center.
It was Obama’s first trip outside Washington to promote gun control since he announced a package that includes calls for universal background checks and 10-round limits on ammunition magazines.
