Lubbock’s congressman and Texas’ governor have both weighed in on President Barack Obama’s executive orders and speech regarding gun control.

Obama spoke on Wednesday, and urged congress to pass certain gun control measures, including a new assault weapons ban and weapon magazine capacity restrictions.

He also signed 23 executive orders into effect, which include requiring federal agencies to make relevant data available to the federal background check system and issuing a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control to research causes and prevention of gun violence.

Lubbock-area U.S. Congressman Randy Neugebauer weighed in on the President’s remarks.

Facebook
Facebook
loading...

“I strongly disagree with the President’s call to restrict gun ownership rights. No one wants another tragedy like we saw in Newtown, but trampling on the Constitution isn’t the solution. I will oppose any Congressional action to infringe on our Second Amendment rights, and work to ensure that our Constitution isn’t bypassed by Executive Order. The President is trying to tell the American people that in order to prevent senseless tragedies, we must give up our freedoms. That’s untrue, and I will work to ensure that no one must choose between safety and liberty.”

Texas Governor Rick Perry commented on President Obama’s Executive Actions.

Win McNamee, Getty Images
Win McNamee, Getty Images
loading...

“The Vice President’s committee was appointed in response to the tragedy at Newtown, but very few of his recommendations have anything to do with what happened there.

Guns require a finger to pull the trigger. The sad young man who did that in Newtown was clearly haunted by demons, and no gun law could have saved the children in Sandy Hook Elementary from his terror.

There is evil prowling in the world – it shows up in our movies, video games, and online fascinations, and finds its way into vulnerable hearts and minds. As a free people, let us choose what kind of people we will be. Laws, the only redoubt of secularism, will not suffice. Let us all return to our places of worship and pray for help. Above all, let us pray for our children.

In fact, the piling on by the political left, and their cohorts in the media, to use the massacre of little children to advance a pre-existing political agenda that would not have saved those children, disgusts me, personally. The Second Amendment to the Constitution is a basic right of free people and cannot be nor will it be abridged by the executive power of this or any other President."

The National Rifle Association also responded to the President’s proposals.

“The NRA will continue to focus on keeping our children safe and securing our schools, fixing our broken mental health system, and prosecuting violent criminals to the fullest extent of the law. We look forward to working with Congress on a bi-partisan basis to find real solutions to protecting America’s most valuable asset – our children.

Attacking firearms and ignoring children is not a solution to the crisis we face as a nation. Only honest, law-abiding gun owners will be affected and our children will remain vulnerable to the inevitability of more tragedy.”

A list of the President's 23 executive orders is available here.

More From News/Talk 95.1 & 790 KFYO