Obama pushes for gun control

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama on Monday embarked on a campaign-style push for more gun control, visiting a police facility in Minnesota to make his case.

"We're starting to see a consensus emerge about the action Congress needs to take," Obama said at the Minneapolis Police Department Special Operations Center. "The vast majority of Americans, including the vast majority of gun owners, support requiring background checks for anyone trying to buy a gun."

"We should restore the ban on military-style assault weapons and a 10 round limit on magazines," Obama said. "That deserves a vote in Congress... Our law enforcement officers should never be outgunned on the streets."

Before making the remarks, Obama participated in a roundtable discussion with officials, including Attorney General Eric Holder, Minnesota Gov Mark Dayton, Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar and Minnesota US Attorney Todd Jones, acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Local officials also participated in the discussion, according to the White House.

Obama has largely tasked Vice-President Joe Biden to headline gun control events since speaking at the memorial service the weekend after the Newtown, Conn. shooting, late last year. Biden also put together a package of legislative proposals the president outlined before his inauguration last month. His visit Monday to Minneapolis was his first appearance outside Washington to build public support for the proposals.