Newtown families invited for White House gun control event

WASHINGTON (AP) - Families of the victims of last month's shooting attack at a Connecticut elementary school have been invited to the White House today to see President Barack Obama outline an effort aimed at reducing gun violence.

Obama's ideas include bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines -- but he would need congressional approval for that. He's also taking steps on his own, including efforts to boost availability of mental health services.

He may also order the Justice Department to crack down on people who lie on gun-sale background checks.

In advance of today's event, the National Rifle Association has released an online video calling Obama an "elitist hypocrite" for having armed secret Service agents protect his daughters at school while not committing to installing armed guards in all schools.

There's a new Associated Press-GfK poll that indicates nearly six in 10 Americans want stricter gun laws in the aftermath of the shootings in Connecticut. Majorities of those surveyed favor a nationwide bank on military-style, rapid-fire weapons, and limits on gun violence depicted in video games, movies and TV shows.

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