Biden to meet with law enforcement

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden will be meeting Thursday with law enforcement officers from around the country. He's leading a task force that will look at ways of reducing gun violence.

President Barack Obama is promising to send ideas to Congress next month. He's already pushing for lawmakers to reinstate a ban on military-style assault weapons, and close loopholes that allow gun buyers to avoid background checks. And he wants restrictions on high-capacity ammunition clips.

Gun control measures have faced fierce resistance in Congress for years, but that may be changing because of last week's violence.

In addition to firearms restrictions, the task force led by Biden will look at ways to increase mental health resources, and consider steps to keep society from glamorizing guns and violence.

Obama has called for a national dialogue on gun violence before, after other mass shootings -- but there was no concrete action. Obama acknowledges that the Newtown shooting was "a wake-up call for all of us."

Cox Media Group