Report: White House Weighs Broad U.S. Gun Control

Tracking guns, universal background checks said to be in Obama administration’s plan

A gun control working group led by Vice President Joe Biden is said to be considering measures that would require gun owners to undergo a universal background check, while the movement and sale of weapons would be tracked through a national database, the Washington Post reported on Sunday. The measures would also bolster mental health screenings and stiffen the penalties for carrying guns near schools or giving them to minors. This approach, the Post says, is backs by law enforcement leaders. President Barack Obama launched the gun control taskforce in the wake of the Dec. 14 shooting massacre at a Newtown, Conn. elementary school that killed 20 children and six adults. To implement these measures, the White House’s largest hurdle to clear will be the National Rifle Association, a gun rights lobbying group that holds a powerful sway over both Democrats and Republican lawmakers in Washington, D.C. (Reuters)

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