Politics. On Point.

In the wake of yet another mass shooting involving a youth, o n Wednesday, May 18th, at   11:00  First Lady Jill Biden will join U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, Ambassador Susan E. Rice, Mental Health Advocate Selena Gomez, and a group of young leaders for a White House Conversation on Youth Mental Health.  This conversation is in connection with the Mental Health Youth Action Forum led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and MTV Entertainment (MTVE) in support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Unity Agenda’s emphasis on tackling the nation’s mental health crisis. Eighteen year-old Brenson Gendron, who had scoped out the TOPS grocery store two months before he returned to murder ten individuals in a predominantly African-American community of Buffalo, New York, had been mentally evaluated after threatening to shoot-up a high school earlier this year. Still, there has been no signif...

Akin to filibustering, House Democrats today staged a sit-in on the House floor in an effort to get Congress to act on gun violence legislation.  The sit-in, initiated by Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), includes 40 other democratic representatives who have taken to Twitter with the hashtag # NoBillNoBreak . When asked for order on the floor, Rep. John Larsen (D-CT) bounded the House lectern saying, "We will NOT come to order. We want a vote." Democrats, acting in response to this month's Orlando nightclub massacre , demanded that Congress, at the very least, discuss measures to enact commonsense gun legislation, to include background checks.  Congress, as it has been reported, favors gun lobbyists and the NRA. Republicans shut down C-SPAN cameras covering the event, leaving Democrats to take matters into their own hands, in an unprecedented move, by  Periscoping  and live-tweeting the event. Rep. John Larsen on the house floor today.  h/t: Heral...

President Obama, today, gave remarks on the steps his administration is planning to take to make it harder for Americans to gain access to guns. In a tearful demonstration the president recalled several incidents of gun violence during his tenure and became emotional, yet again, while mentioning the Sandy Hook massacre. "Everytime I think about those kids it gets me mad", he said. The president's Executive Order, which will include mandatory background checks, will be 21st century proof, according to President Obama. "We're going to bring an outdated background check system in to the 21st century", he said. The president's Executive Order, which bypassed Congress, have people talking --   including Congress . The owner of a Colonial Heights, Virginia gun shop, Dance's Sporting Goods, said his business has been very good since the president's action.   His customers, who fear they will not be able to own guns and fear the Second Ame...

The 'Cute Little School' It's been a year (December 14, 2012) since Adam Lanza killed 20 first-graders and six adults at the Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Lanza simply walked in, aimed at his target and started shooting, despite the school's security features outlined in reports.  President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama light candles for Sandy Hook elementary school victims. Since that particular school shooting, the Obama administration has openly shed a tear for the victims, legislated funds to help people with mental health issues , and has lobbied Congress in an attempt to change the current gun control laws, starting with increased background checks. President Obama and First Lady Michelle celebrated the one-year anniversary with a candle-lighting memorial in the Map Room. Twenty-six candles, one for each Sandy Hook elementary school victim. The pair then paused in a moment of silence lasting around six...

  Today, the Obama administration announced two new common-sense executive actions to keep the most dangerous firearms out of the wrong hands and ban almost all re-imports of military surplus firearms to private entities. These executive actions build on the 23 executive actions that the Vice President recommended as part of the comprehensive gun violence reduction plan and the President unveiled on January 16, 2013.   As Congress fails to act on common-sense proposals, like expanding criminal background checks and making gun trafficking a federal crime, the President and Vice President remain committed to using all the tools in their power to make progress toward reducing gun violence.  Tea Party member stands on busy overpass strapped with assault weapon.     Building on the 23 Executive Actions the President and Vice President Unveiled Last January ·          Last December, the President asked the Vice Presi...

President Obama told the city of Boston, "You will run again".   Attending today's Interfaith service honoring the victims of this week's Boston marathon bombing that killed three people and injuring dozens of others, the president speaking at the Cathedral of Holy Cross said, "We will finish this race". The ceremony's theme is 'Healing Our City'.   [View the Healing Our City program here ]. The president also reaffirmed that those responsible will be brought to justice. "Bet on it", he said to the generous applause of those in attendance. Joining the president on the trip to Boston were First Lady Michelle Obama, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator William “Mo” Cowan, Representative Michael Capuano, Representative Stephen Lynch, Representative Bill Keating, Representative John Tierney, Representative Richard Neal and Vicki Kennedy, wife of the late senator Ted Kennedy. No suspects have yet been found in the bombing that left m...

  Award Allocated for the Development of a National Public Education Campaign on Responsible Gun Ownership Encouraging Safe Storage The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded $1 million to the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) to support the development of a National Public Education Campaign on the subject of responsible gun ownership and safe gun storage. With the award, NCPC will create, produce, and distribute television, radio, and outdoor Public Service Announcements (PSAs) that encourage gun owners to safely store their firearms so that they do not fall into the wrong hands. The campaign will also emphasize the importance of immediately reporting lost or stolen guns to local law enforcement to ensure public safety. “As part of President Obama's comprehensive plan to reduce gun violence, the Administration is committed to working with firearm owners and enthusiasts to prevent tragic accidents and keep guns from falling into the wrong hands,” said Atto...

Now Is the Time . President Obama unveiled his plan plan to curb gun U.S. violence.  Speaking today from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB), the president offered the following conditions: closing background check loopholes to keep guns out of dangerous hands; banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and taking other common-sense steps to reduce gun violence; making schools safer; and increasing access to mental health services. Highlights of this comprehensive plan include:  Require criminal background checks for all gun sales.  Take four executive actions to ensure information on dangerous individuals is available to the background check system.  Reinstate and strengthen the assault weapons ban.  Restore the 10-round limit on ammunition magazines.  Protect police by finishing the job of getting rid of armor-piercing bullets.  Give law enforcement additional tools to prevent and prosecute gun crime.  End th...

Newton School Shooting Amasses Twenty-Six Victims . President Obama shared in the sorrowness felt across the country after Friday's horrendous Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting of numerous small children in Newtown, Connecticut and ordered that official flags be flown at half mass. What happened with twenty year old Adam Lanza  to make him want to kill his mother, 20 children, 6 school officials, and then himself? A skeletal, ghostly Adam Lanza. Law enforcement officials said Lanza had four handguns on his person as he stormed the 600-student school and shot his victims at close range. There was also a rifle found in the car he drove to Sandy Hook. The shooting in Connecticut follows a trail of recent mass shootings that include:  A shopping mall in Oregon, a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, a movie theater in Aurora Colorado and countless, seemingly minor, yet just as significant, other day-to-day shootings.  Schools have increas...

The White House is responding to the tragic event that happened at a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado where a gunman, 24-year old James Holmes, shot up the theatre during the midnight showing of the latest Batman movie.   Twelve people were killed and scores of others wounded. Tom Sullivan embraces family members on July 20 while searching frantically for his son Alex, who was celebrating his 27th birthday at the movie theater.  Photo: Barry Gutierrez/AP. Said Vice President Biden, "Jill and I were shocked to learn of the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado this morning. The reason this is so deeply felt by all Americans is that, but for the grace of God, the victims could have been any one of our children, in any one of our towns. It is every parent’s worst nightmare to receive ‘that phone call’ and to sit by their child’s bedside, praying. We know what it’s like to wait and wonder and the helplessness a parent feels at this moment. Our hearts go out to each and every ...