国际英语新闻:Obama can take executive action on gun-control: VP

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama can take executive action in response to gun violence, said Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

Leading the White House's gun-control task force, Biden has been conducting meetings all week on gun control. He met with representatives of gun violence victims' groups and gun safety organizations on Wednesday.

"The president is going to act. There are executive orders, executive action that can be taken," said Biden before the meetings.

Biden said there has been "wide consensus" several proposals in the gun safety area. "I want to make clear that we're not going to get caught up in the notion that, unless we can do everything, we' re going to do nothing," Biden said. "It's critically important we act."

Biden is also set to hold a meeting on Thursday with representatives from gun rights groups, including the National Rifle Association (NRA), the country's largest gun rights organization and lobby group.

"You should know that tomorrow I've also invited the gun owners and the NRA to come and make their case as well before us. I want it clear to the American public that on behalf of the president, we're reaching out to all parties on whatever side of this debate you fall."

Biden will also meet with representatives of the video game and entertainment industry, which have also come under criticism over gun violence culture.

Following the Sandy Hook shooting massacre, the task force was assigned by Obama last month and is set to make proposals for new laws and actions by the end of this month.

Twenty school kids and six adults were killed by one shooter in Sandy Hook Elementary shooting rampage in Newtown, Connecticut State, on Dec. 14 last year. The massacre has renewed calls for gun control.

Obama has expressed strong support for the renewal of an expired federal assault weapons ban by Congress and would back new gun legislation.

NRA has refused to support new gun-control legislation and instead called for armed guards for every school in the country, as the response of the gun industry.

In the NBC's interview at the year end, Obama voiced skepticism about NRA's proposal of "putting more guns in schools" as "the only answer" to prevent future mass shooting tragedies at campus.