English subtitles for clip: File:2013-03-23 President Obama's Weekly Address.ogv

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The President:
It has now been three months
since the tragic events in

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Newtown, Connecticut.

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Three months since we lost
20 innocent children and six

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dedicated adults who had
so much left to give.

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Three months since
we, as Americans,

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began asking ourselves if we're
really doing enough to protect

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our communities and
keep our children safe.

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For the families who lost a
loved one on that terrible day,

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three months doesn't even
begin to ease the pain they're

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feeling right now.

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It doesn't come close to mending
the wounds that may never

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fully heal.

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But as a nation, the last
three months have changed us.

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They've forced us to answer some
difficult questions about what

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we can do -- what we must do
-- to prevent the kinds of

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massacres we've seen in Newtown
and Aurora and Oak Creek,

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as well as the everyday
tragedies that happen far too

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often in big cities and small
towns all across America.

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Today there is still genuine
disagreement among well-meaning

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people about what steps we
should take to reduce the

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epidemic of gun violence
in this country.

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But you -- the American
people -- have spoken.

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You've made it clear that
it's time to do something.

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And over the last few weeks,
senators here in Washington have

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listened and taken
some big steps forward.

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Two weeks ago, the Senate
advanced a bill that would make

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it harder for criminals and
people with a severe mental

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illness from getting
their hands on a gun --

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an idea supported by nine
out of ten Americans,

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including a majority
of gun owners.

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The Senate also made progress on
a bill that would crack down on

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anyone who buys a gun as part
of a scheme to funnel it to

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criminals -- reducing violent
crime and protecting our law

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enforcement officers.

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Finally, the Senate took steps
to reinstate and strengthen a

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ban on the sale of
military-style assault weapons,

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set a 10-round
limit for magazines,

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and make our schools
safer places for kids to

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learn and to grow.

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These ideas shouldn't
be controversial --

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they're common sense.

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They're supported by a majority
of the American people.

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And I urge the Senate and
the House to give each of

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them a vote.

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As I've said before, we may not
be able to prevent every act of

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violence in this country.

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But together, we have
an obligation to try.

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We have an obligation
to do what we can.

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Right now, we have a real
chance to reduce gun violence in

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America, and prevent
the very worst violence.

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We have a unique opportunity
to reaffirm our tradition of

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responsible gun ownership, and
also do more to keep guns out of

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the hands of criminals or people
with a severe mental illness.

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We've made progress over
the last three months,

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but we're not there yet.

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And in the weeks ahead, I hope
Members of Congress will join me

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in finishing the job --
for our communities and,

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most importantly, for our kids.

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Thanks.