WASHINGTON – The White House is working with aides to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on a broader package of gun-violence initiatives than an assault weapons ban and high-capacity ammunition clips, according to a report.
A White House working group headed by Vice President Joe Biden is looking at requiring universal background checks for gun buyers, tracking the movement and sale of weapons through a national database, strengthening mental health checks and stiffening penalties for carrying guns near schools or giving them to minors, sources told The Washington Post.
President Obama formed the in-house task force in the wake of last month’s massacre of 20 children and six adults in a Newtown, Conn. elementary school. Obama has demanded that the working group submit the package of recommendations to him by the end of the month.
The proposals have the backing of key national laws enforcement group leaders, the paper said. Bloomberg has been one of the nation’s most outspoken gun-control advocates.
To promote the ideas, the White House is considering working around the National Rifle Association with retailers such as Wal-Mart that would benefit their businesses, the paper said. Once the proposals are set, Obama intends to lead a public relations campaign to sell the ideas, according to the paper.