*Administration of Barack Obama, 2013 *

**Statement on Senate Action on Gun Control Legislation **

*April 10, 2013 *

I applaud Senators Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey for their leadership on forging a bipartisan agreement around commonsense background checks that will make it harder for dangerous people to get their hands on a gun.

This is not my bill, and there are aspects of the agreement that I might prefer to be stronger. But the agreement does represent welcome and significant bipartisan progress. It recognizes that there are good people on both sides of this issue, and we don't have to agree on everything to know that we've got to do something to stem the tide of gun violence.

Of course, a lot of work remains. Congress needs to finish the job. The Senate must overcome obstruction by defeating a threatened filibuster and allow a vote on this and other commonsense reforms to protect our kids and our communities. Any bill still has to clear the House. So I'm going to keep asking the American people to stand up and raise their voices, because these measures deserve a vote, and so do the families and communities they're designed to protect.

*Categories:* Statements by the President : Gun control legislation, Senate action*.*

*Names:* Manchin, Joseph, III; Toomey, Patrick J.

*Subjects:* Congress : Bipartisanship; Law enforcement and crime : Gun control; Law enforcement and crime : Gun violence, prevention efforts.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201300235.