At the same time, Obama took nearly two dozen executive actions to tighten gun laws, but left a major expansion of background checks out of the mix.
But after the shooting at a community college in Roseburg, Oregon in October, a weary and angry Obama ordered his staff to redouble the effort to look for ways to work around Congress.
Under current law, federally licensed firearms dealers are required to seek background checks on potential firearm purchasers. But advocacy groups say many sellers are currently exempt from having to register, increasing the chance of sales to customers prohibited by law from purchasing a gun.
The administration is expected to reclassify some of those dealers using a mix of criteria, such as the number and frequency of guns sold, whether sellers profit off sales, whether they advertise, rent space or tables at gun shows and pay taxes. White House officials have not yet disclosed the details of the proposal.
Obama’s plans immediately set off a political debate on the presidential campaign trail, both over the policy and whether the president has the authority to make it.
Democrat Hillary Clinton, who has already proposed an executive action to close the gun show loophole, cheered Obama’s plans.
“I am absolutely convinced we can have gun safety measures consistent with the Constitution,” she said during a presidential campaign event in Concord, New Hampshire. “I will take on that fight. I’m very hopeful and excited that the president is going to take some action with executive action in the next week or two ... but if it’s a Republican who walks into the White House within the first day, the executive orders will be reversed.”
Rival Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, told ABC’s “This Week” he wished Congress could find consensus but added the move was the “right thing to do.”
Republicans candidates rejected the proposals, including those who have backed some gun control measures in the past.
“This president is a petulant child,” New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Sunday on “Fox News Sunday.” ‘'The fact is if he wants to make changes to these laws, go to Congress and convince the Congress that they’re necessary. But this is going to be another illegal executive action which I’m sure will be rejected by the courts.”
“I don’t like changing anything,” Donald Trump said on CBS‘ “Face the Nation.” ’'Right now, they have plenty of rules and regulations.”
