With tears visibly streaming down his face, President Barack Obama unveiled his executive action on gun control today in an effort to cut down on what he called the “epidemic of gun violence” that kills approximately 33,000 Americans every year.
“People are dying,” Obama said Tuesday morning, standing next to victims of gun violence in the White House, during his emotional address. “And the constant excuses for inaction no longer do, no longer suffice.”
Obama’s announcement today is the latest component in his administration’s highly publicized push for increased gun control in recent weeks. The White House published a fact sheet Monday detailing the measures, which have been met with support from anti-gun violence advocates and criticism from Republican presidential candidates.
But despite all the fanfare, experts are skeptical whether Obama’s executive order will bring about immediate, sweeping change.
“He’s done what the Administration can do,” says Liz Avore, the legal director for Everytown for Gun Safety, a pro-gun control group founded by former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg. “But there is a lot more to be done [to reduce gun violence] and we need to look toward state and federal legislatures to take that action.”
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