Barack Obama used executive powers to pass the gun control law against stiff opposition from Republicans in Congress.

The President of the United States of America, Barack Obama has used executive powers to pass a law on gun control in the country. He announced the law in an address on Tuesday, January 5, 2016. The law provides for background checks for all gun sellers, overturning current exemptions to some online and gun show sellers.  It also compels States to provide information on people disqualified from buying guns due to mental illness or domestic violence; increases workforce for the FBI to process background checks, hiring more than 230 more examiners. 

The law asks Congress to invest 500 million US Dollars to improve access to mental healthcare in the US   and calls on the departments of defence, justice and homeland security to explore “smart gun technology” to improve gun safety. Barack Obama before decreeing the law reportedly told the news agencies that the failure to tackle gun control had been the greatest frustration of his presidency.

Besides Republicans who had prepared to block the law in Congress, the largest gun lobby group, the National Rifle Association (NRA) has been campaigning against the law. In his address, Mr Obama said "The gun lobby may be holding Congress hostage right now, but they can't hold America hostage," BBC quoted him as saying. Congress has been reluctant to pass any laws restricting gun ownership, facing pressure from gun owners and the NRA.

Republicans who constitute the majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives were bracing up to block the law had been brought to Congress.  House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan said the executive order, which bypasses Congress "undermined liberty" and would be challenged in court. Ryan while criticizing the move, reportedly said "Rather than focus on criminals and terrorists, he goes after the most law-abiding of citizens," and added that President Obama’s, “words and actions amount to a form of intimidation that undermines liberty."

Reports say gun violence is significantly higher in the US than in other advanced countries, killing about 30,000 people each year. The sales of guns in the country has reportedly appeared to have risen recently amid speculations that the White House was going to tighten the law