Murphy Reacts to President's Gun Control Proposals

Following President Barack Obama's announcement on what he wants to see changed in the wake of the Newtown mass shooting, Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Upper St. Clair), who represents Peters Township, issued the following statement:

With the President’s policy recommendations now released, Congress can begin the legislative process of reviewing these proposals with a shared goal of preventing tragedies like Newtown from occurring again. I am approaching this effort with the seriousness the families of Newtown, indeed all families across the nation, deserve from their elected officials and will examine all aspects of the President’s recommendations.

But the underlying cause in mass tragedies like Newtown is that the perpetrator had an untreated or undertreated mental illness. I had hoped for more from the President in this area so I am going to be relentless in embarking on a meaningful effort to gather information, determine the causes, identify the treatments, and make sure all federal dollars on mental health are spent effectively because it's not just what is in a person's hand that makes the act violent, it is what's in his mind.

Some of the main legislative proposals backed by Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are:

• requiring criminal background checks on all gun sales, including private sales    
• banning "military-style" assault weapons    
• limiting ammunition magazines to 10 rounds      
• strengthening penalties for gun trafficking

Watch the video above to hear the President's entire plan.

What do you think about President Obama's gun control proposals? What do you think about Rep. Murphy's response? Tell us in the comments below.