Years. We do research when cars, food, medicine, even toys harm people so that we make them safer. And you know what . Research science, those are good things. They work. [ applause ] they do. But think about this. When it comes to an inherently deadly weapon. A nobody argues that guns are potentially deadly. But weapons that kill tens of thousands of americans every year, Congress Actually voted to experts to conduct research into gun violence. Made it harder to collect data and facts. Gun violence. Even after san bernardino, theyve refused to make it harder for terror suspects who cant get on a plane to buy semiautomatic weapons. Thats not right. That cant be right. So the gun lobby may be Holding Congress hostage right now. But they cannot hold america hostage. We do not have to accept this carnage is the price for [ applause ] now i want to be clear, Congress Still needs to act. The folks in this room will not rest until congress does. [ cheers and applause ] because once Congress Gets on board, with common sense gun safety measures, we can reduce gun violence a whole lot more. But we also cant wait. Until we have a congress thats in line with the majority of americans, there are actions within my Legal Authority that we can take to help reduce gun violence and save more lives. Actions that protect our rights after sandy hook, joe and i worked together with our teams and we put forward a whole series of executive actions to try to tighten up the existing rules and systems that we had in place. But today, we want to take it a step further. So let me outline what were going to be doing. Number one, anybody in the business of selling fire arms must get a license and conduct background checks or be subject to criminal prosecutions. [ applause ] it doesnt matter whether youre doing it over the internet or at a gun show. Its not where you do it but were also expanding background checks to cover violent criminals who try to buy some of the most dangerous fire arms by hiding behind trusts and corporations and various cutouts. Were also taking steps to make the background check system more efficient. Under the guidance of jim thome and the fbi, Deputy Director tom brandon at atf, were going to hire more folks process applications faster and bring an outdated barack ground check system into the 21st century. [ applause ] and these steps will actually lead to a smoother process for lawabiding gun coneowners. A stronger process for protecting the public from so thats number one. Number two, were going to do everything we can to ensure the smart and effective enforcement of gun safety laws that are already on the books. Which means were going to add 200 more atf agents, up vest gators. Require firearm dealers to report more lost or stolen guns on a more timely basis. Were working with advocates to protect victims of Domestic Abuse from gun violence. Where too often [ applause ] where too often people are not getting the protection that they need. Number three, were going to do more to help those suffering from Mental Illness to get the help that they need. So [ applause ] highprofile Mass Shootings tend mentally unstable people that inflict harm on others. But the fact is, nearly 2 in 3 gun deaths are from suicides. So a lot of our work is to prevent people from hurting themselves. Thats why we made the Affordable Care act, also known as obama care, finally under that law made sure that treatment for Mental Health was covered the the same as treatment for any other illness. Thats why were going to invest 500 million to expand access to treatment across the country. [ applause ] its also why were going to ensure that federal Mental Health records are submitted to the background check system and remove barriers that keep states from reporting information. Health issues and fill gaps in the background check system, question spare more families the pain of losing a loved one to suicide. And for those in congress who rush to blame Mental Illness for Mass Shootings as way of avoiding action on guns, heres your chance to support these efforts. Put your money withhere your mouth is. [ applause ] number four. Were going to boost gun safety technology. Today many gun injuries and deaths are the result of legal guns that were stolen or misused or discharged accidentally. 2013 alone, more than 500 people lost their lives to gun accidents. That includes 30 children younger than 5 years old. The greatest, most technologically advanced nation on earth there is no reason for this. Technologies to make guns safer. Set it up so you cant unlock your phone unless row have the right fingerprint, why cant we do the same thing for our guns . [ applause ] if theres an app that can help us find a missing tablet, which happens to me often, the older i get. [ laughter ] then we can do it for your ipad, theres no reason we cant do it with a stolen gun. If a child cant open a bottle of aspirin, we should make hur that they cant pull a trigger on a gun. All right . [ applause ] were going to work with the prooifrt sector to update fire arms technology. And some gun retailers are already stepping up by refusing to finalize a purchase without a complete background check or by refraining from selling semiautomatic weapons or highcapacity magazines. I hope that me more reore retailers and Manufacturers Join them. They should care as much as anybody about ah something that kills almost as Many Americans as car accidents. I make this point because none of us can do this alone. I think mark made that point earlier. All of us should be able to Work Together to find a balance that declares the rest of our rights are also important. Second amendment rights are important. That we care about as well. And we have to be able to balance them. Because our right to worship freely and safely that right was denied to christians in charleston, south carolina. And that was denied jews in kansas city. And that was denied muslims in chapel hill and those in oak creek. They had rights, too. [ applause ] our right to peaceful assembly, that right was robbed from movie goers in aurora and lafayette. Our inalien able right to life and lishty and the pursuit of happiness, those rights were and Santa Barbara and from High Schoolers in column binkol colunbine. And from first graders in newtown. First graders. And from every family who who never imagined that their loved one would be taken from our lives by a bullet from a gun. Every time i think about those kids, it gets me mad. And by the way, it happens on the streets of chicago every day. So all of us need to demand a congress brave enough to stand up to the gun lobbys lies. All of us need to demand governors, legislators, businesses do their part to make our community safer. We need the wide majority of responsible gun owners who grieve with us every time this happens and feel like your views represented to join with us to demand something better. [ applause ] and we need voters who want safer gun laws and who are disappointed in leaders who stand in their way to remember [ cheers and applause ] i mean, some of this is just simple math. Yes, the gun lobby is loud and organized in defense of making it effortless for guns to be available for anybody anytime. Well you know what . The rest of us, we all have to be just as passionate. We have to be just as organized in defense of our kids. This is not that complicated. The Reason Congress blocks laws is because they want to win elections. And if you make it hard for them to win an election if they block those laws, theyll change [ applause ] and yes, it will be hard. And it wont happen overnight. It wont happen during this congress. It wont happen during my presidency. But a lot of things dont happen overnight. A womans right to vote didnt happen overnight. The liberation of African Americans didnt happen overnight. Lgbt rights. Decades worth of work. So just because its hard thats and if you have any doubt as to why you should feel that fierce urgency of now, think about what happened three weeks ago. Xavion dobson was a sophomore in tennessee. He played football, beloved by his classmates and teachers. His own mayor called him one of their citys success stories. The week before christmas, he headed to a friends house to play video games. He wasnt in the wrong place at the wrong time. He hadnt made a bad decision. He was exactly where any other your kid. My kids. And then gunmen started firing. School hadnt even gotten started in life dove on top of three girls to shield them from the bullets. And he was shot in the head. And the girls were spared. He gave his life to save theirs. An act of heroism a lot bigger than anything we should ever expect from a 15yearold. Greater love hath no man than this. That a man lay down his life for his friends. We are not asked to do what xavion dobson did. Were not asked to have shoulders that big, heart that strong, reactions that quick. Im not asking people to have that same level of courage or but if we love our kids and care about their prospects and if we love this country and care about its future, then, we can find the courage to vote. We can find the courage to get mobilized and organized. We can find the courage to cut through all the noise. And do what a sensible country would do. Thats what were doing today. And tomorrow we should do more. And we should do more the day after that. And if we do, well leave behind a nation thats stronger than the one we inherited and worthy of the sacrifice of a young man like xavion. Thank you very much, everybody. God bless. Thank you. God bless america. A passionate and emotional president barack obama wrapping right now. Tearing up as he spoke about the rights being robbed from the victims of gun violence. Especially the first graders at Sandy Hook Elementary School back in 2012. President often called that the worse day of his presidency. Demanding action now. Saying that the gun lobby may be Holding Congress hostage. It cannot hold america hostage. He lines up a series of executive actions to expand and improve background checks. Enforce the laws on the books. Improve gun safety technology. Health. The president so often allows his passion to show so frustrated by the issue. I want to go mary bruce. Morning. The president referenced the opposition. Already fierce opposition from the speaker of the house and republicans on the campaign trail. Absolutely. Republicans have already been blasting the president s plan. On the campaign trail, republican candidates have said theyll reverse this action if elected. Up on the hill, lawmakers are already opposing it. The speaker of the house has accused the president of a dangerous level of overreach and subverting the legislative branch. The president feels hes well within his legal rights here. Beyond that that hes justified in acting because congress has failed to do so. You just saw how frustrated the president is on this issue. How deeply he feels about this. That is incredibly rare to see the president get so emotional about an issue like this. Because remember, today is about more than just the president announcing these modest this is about him setting the office. About trying to reignite a bigger conversation to solve this problem. Thank you, mary. I want to go to pierre thomas. The emotion does show when the president talks about this issue. Not only the first graders at sandy hook. Day. Clearly, george. No matter where you stand on this issue, we know its an attractable issue. We know the politics of washington. To see the tears streaming down rare. He talked about every time hi thinks about sandy hook and angry. Then pointing out the young man who died recently trying the save the lives of those children around him. A 15yearold. Stunning moment as well. Sure was. Xavion dobson, saying we all cant have the courage to sacrifice our lives. We can have the counsel to vote. Well have much more tonight guns. President obama announced an executive order to strengthen background checks just a few minutes ago. The move is supposed to close purchasing loopholes for firearms bought online or at gun shows. He also wants to work with the private sector to update firearm technology, and to keep guns out of kids hands. During a Campaign Stop in iowa yesterday, democratic president ial frontrunner Hillary Clinton said she supports the president s decision. I will not only keep it going, i will do everything i can to try to convince the congress hopefully with a Democratic Senate which will give us a little more leverage to pass sensible gun safety measures. Florida senator marco rubio says he will reverse the president s executive order if he wins the election. Rubio took policies during a Campaign Stop rapids marriott this morning. He says his first order of business in the oval office would be to repeal several of the obama administrations executive actions. These new rulings that hes coming out with that limit and undermine the 2nd amendment, on my first day in office, theyre gone. All of these overreaches of the epa, the employment prevention agency, every one of these overreaches, on my first day in office is gone. Theyre gone. Rubio is currently in third place in most republican polls. Hes behind texas senator ted cruz and donald trump. New at midday, one person went to the hospital this morning after a car hit him. Officers responded to the corner of blairs ferry road and Council Street a little after 9 00. Police had the scene cleared up within an hour of the first report of the collision. Police tell tv9 the victim was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. We now know the name of the man who died in a shooting in nashua. Authorities found 56 year a home at 110 Saint Lawrence street over the weekend. They say the preliminary shooting was possibly accidental. Remember, whenever you see news, give us a call on 3193659999. You can also email pictures and video to newsroom at kcrg dot com. Meteorologist Justin Gehrts joins us now with a check of your first alert forecast. We have a bit of a breeze this afternoon from the south at 10 to 20 mph, sometimes gusting a bit higher. Otherwise, our sky will be partly sunny sky this afternoon with highs keeping our lows in the 20s. Tomorrows looking cloudy with highs in the lower 30s with a slight chance of a rain or snow shower late. A better chance of scattered rain and snow showers starts tomorrow night and continues into thursday and friday. Highs reach the middle 30s each day. Substantially colder air plows in this weekend and continues into early next week. Today partly cloudy high 2733 winds s 1020 alo 29 dbq 30 iow 32 tonight mostly cloudy low 2228 winds s 515 alo 22 dbq 23 iow 25 tomorrow iso. Rain snow late high 3036 winds s 515 alo 32 dbq 33 iow 34 tomorrow night chance of rain snow low 2733 winds s 515 alo 30 dbq 30 iow 30 thursday rain snow likely high 35 low 30 friday rain snow likely high 36 low 32 saturday chance of snow high 30 low 29 sunday clearing colder high 9 low 8 monday slight chance of snow president obamas executive order. What the change could mean for you, coming up. And it will be a busy few weeks for president ial candidates, as dozens of Campaign Stops are scheduled up until the iowa caucus. Youre watching kcrgtv9. Now, from your 24 hour news source, this is kcrgtv9 news at midday. Within the last hour, president obama officially announced changes to the nations gun laws. The executive order strengthens background checks for anyone trying to purchase a gun. The goal of the action is sellers. Abcs Kenneth Moton reports. Its a major president ial push toward gun control reform. Sot pres obama it will potentially save lives in this country and spare families the pain and the extraordinary loss that theyve suffered as a consequence of a firearm being in the hands of wrong people. By executive action . Gun sellers, online or at gun shows, must register as licensed gun dealers. And background checks would be required for their buyers . Closin g the so called gun show loophole. President obamas plan also includes . Overhauling the fbis background check system, hiring 200 new atf agents for investigations , increasing the use of Mental Health information for background checks, and requesting states include up to date information on criminal records. Sot obama this is not going to solve every Violent Crime in this country. Its not going to prevent every mass shooting. Its not going to keep every gun out of the hands of a criminal a Pew Research Poll in july americans favored expanded background checks. But in an abc News Washington post poll in october, the public was divided evenly between giving a higher priority to protecting gun ownership rights or enacting new control laws. House Speaker Paul Ryan lashed out saying president obama should enforce the laws already on the books. President ial candidates reacted on the trail . Sot marco rubio the president has not even attempted to point to a single. One mass shooting. Sot Hillary Clinton i will not only keep it going, i will do everything i can to try and convince the congress, hopefully with a Democratic Senate to pass sensible gun safety measures. President obama is also proposing a 500 Million Dollar investment in Mental Health treatment. All funding will require congressional approval but again the president s controversial plan for expanded background checks will be done with a stroke of his pen. Kenneth moton, abc news, Washington GunStores Across eastern iowa are watching the president s every move on gun control. One store owner says there has been a lot more interest in guns for selfprotection after shootings across the country. In vinton says he doesnt see a need for changes to gun regulations. 9 09 30 i think they are okay the way they are. I think they could be loosened up on some things. The store says their sales are safe, and that customers buying handguns or long guns all go through background checks. Between now and january 16th, its difficult to find a day without multiple president ial candidates in the state. For example, four candidates will be in the area tomorrow. Those are doctor ben carson, texas senator ted cruz, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and florida senator marco rubio. And on thrusday, cruz, former Maryland Governor martin omalley, Businessman Donald Trump and vermont senator Bernie Sanders will be in the state. In all, we counted up 27 events by 10 candidates during through next saturday. Yesterday, Hillary Clinton drew about 500 people to the newbo city market. Although democrats have only some voters may still be undecided. Its an even more pressing question for republicans. With a dozen candidates, a party cochair in linn county says its likely more than half the countys republicans have not settled on one candidate. I think 70 percent of the people out here who are republicans have a handful of people theyre willing to vote for and theyre not exactly sure among those 2345. Cochair mason says republicans typically wait until the last two weeks before the caucuses to decide on a candidate. First, meteorologis t Justin Gehrts has your first alert forecast, justin. We have a bit of a breeze this afternoon from the south at 10 to 20 mph, sometimes gusting a bit higher. Otherwise, our sky will be partly sunny sky this afternoon with highs keeping our lows in the 20s. Tomorrows looking cloudy with highs in the lower 30s with a slight chance of a rain or snow shower late. A better chance of scattered rain and snow showers starts tomorrow night and continues into thursday and friday. Highs reach the middle 30s each day. Substantially colder air plows in this weekend and continues into early next week. Today partly cloudy high 2733 winds s 1020 alo 29 dbq 30 iow 32 in a tv9 followup. A waterloo man will serve decades in prison for a Fatal Shooting in 2014. The waterloo Cedar Falls Courier reports a judge sentenced 28 yearold roderick ward in court yesterday. A jury found him guilty of 2nd degree murder last october. Initially ward faced a first degree murder charge. Ward shot and killed a man at his home after they started arguing. Will be up for parole after 35. 2015 was des moines deadliest year in decades. 21 people were victims of homicide last year. Thats the highest since 1990, when the city had 23 homicides. The highest ever recorded was 27 in 1978. Police say numbers have been down in recent years. In 2010, Police Records showed only five homicides. Remember, whenever you see news, give us a call on newsline nine. That number is 3193659999. You can also email pictures and video to newsroom at kcrg dot com. Dozens of budding musicians in dubuque now have a more comfortable place to sit. Flexsteel industries donated 12 new chairs yesterday to the northeast iowa school of music. That school helps develop the musical skills of people of all ages, and it offers oneonone lessons. The dubuque based which replace the old, ripped up chairs they were using. Thats whats great about about local businesses. Especially flextsteel thats headquartered here in dubuque, they have the capacity to help non profits like northeast iowa school of music achieve their goals. The northeast iowa school of music works with Students Learning a variety of instruments as well as vocal training. College basketball teams across the state are enjoying successful seasons. Both the hawkeye mens and womens teams are ranked in the top 25. The mens team is ranked for the first time of the season. Its largely thanks to an upset victory over number 14 purdue last week. The hawks also started off the big ten season with a victory over topranked Michigan State at Carver Hawkeye arena. Despite taking down two ranked teams, the hawks say theres still work to be done. We always say you cant let one game define you. You feel awful after we lose to iowa state after having the lead, but that then you have one big win or two big wins, that cant define you. The guys that have been here have that mentality that we can win on the road at any place. I think that were showing the young guys that have never been there before that they can do it as well. So i think its just great for everybody. You cant worry about being ranked now. It only counts at the end of the year. You have what, 16 games left in the big ten season . Thats a lot of time. Trt 31 oc thats a lot time iowa state is ranked 13th in the ap poll this week. The cyclones dropped slightly in after a hard sooners over the weekend. Theyll host texas tech wednesday night. Weve got High School Boys basketball action for you on kcrg 9. 2 tonight. The saints from xavier travel to prairie to take on the hawks. Tipoff is at 7 30. Again, you can catch the whole game tonight on kcrg 9. 2. Adele continues her reign on top of the pop and one of the worlds most popular talk show hosts is being honored for her work in the community. Thats coming up in todays updates our temperatures coming up in your first alert forecast. Stay with tv9. Meteorologist Justin Gehrts joins us now. We have a bit of a breeze this afternoon from the south at 10 to 20 mph, gusting a bit higher. Otherwise, our sky will be partly sunny sky this afternoon with highs around 30. Clouds increase tonight, keeping our lows in the 20s. Tomorrows looking cloudy with highs in the lower 30s with a slight chance of a rain or snow shower late. A better chance of scattered rain and snow showers starts tomorrow night and continues into thursday and friday. Highs reach the middle 30s each day. Substantially colder air plows in this weekend and continues into early next week. Today partly cloudy high 2733 winds s 1020 alo 29 dbq 30 iow low 2228 winds s 515 alo 22 dbq 23 iow 25 tomorrow iso. Rain snow late high 3036 winds s 515 alo 32 dbq 33 iow 34 tomorrow night chance of rain snow low 2733 winds s 515 alo 30 dbq 30 iow 30 thursday rain snow likely high 35 low 30 friday saturday chance of snow high 30 low 29 sunday clearing colder high 9 low 8 monday slight chance of snow high 12 low 1 tuesday partly cloudy high 10 low 0 the Country Music industry is mourning the loss of an up and coming artist. And theatergoers are getting ready for some new films hitting the big screen. Abcs Jason Nathanson has todays showbiz wrap. Friends, fans, and family are mourning the death of Country SingerCraig Strickland his body was found monday, more than a week after he disappeared while duck hunting in oklahoma. A winter storm had capsized his boat. The backroad anthem front mans wife, former miss arkansas helen strickland, wrote on instagram that the night of the accident craig had fought his way out of the water and up a hill before dying of hypothermia. She says he was found lying in the shape of a cross, and now hes in heaven with accident, his dog sam was found alive. Ellen degeneres is everyones favorite humanitarian at least according to the peoples choice awards. It was Just Announced the talk show host will get the favorite humanitarian award at wednesday nights show. The honor also comes with 20grand for charity degeneres says thatll go to st. Jude childrens research hospital. She joked that the award sums her up perfectly, as she is both human and an itarian. Whats the most anticipated movie of 2016 . The next star wars movie, of course . That according to Online Ticket seller fandango. Star wars rogue one is not part of the new trilogy, its actually a prequel, due out in december. The finding nemo sequel finding dory, starring humanitarian ellen degeneres, is the 2nd most anticipated film . Batman vs. Superman, coming in march, is 3rd. And adeles 25 has topped the billboard 200 album chart for a sixth straight week this as billboard reports 25 was officially the best selling album of 2015 7. 4 million copies the best in over 10 years. And thats whats happening in hollywood, im Jason Nathanson, abc news, los angeles. For many people, the new year goals for better health. Our hyvee dietitian will be here after the break with smart ideas to get you started. The start of the new year is a popular time for many people to get a jumpstart on a new healthy lifestyle. Hyvee dietitian Judy Fitzgibbons joins us this morning, with some ideas on how to do it the smart way. 1. Set goals by thinking s. M. A. R. T. Make your goals specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and goals along with your longterm goals to ensure continued success. An example of a shortterm s. M. A. R. T. Goal would be, i will pack a piece of fruit in at least 4 homepacked lunches this week. 2. Eat regularly throughout the day. Choose simple, basic snacks that increase nutrients that may be missing in your diet. Look to produce for snacks high in nutrients that are easy to eat. Just in time for our health resolutions, peakofthe season cuties clementines http and mighties kiwis http fiber, potassium and vitamin c, along with many other nutrients. Pair with a small handful of nuts for a satisfying snack. Very simple. 3. Find friends. Choose a group of people who will support you in achieving your goals. This group may include a spouse or significant other, Close Friends or coworkers, health and judy, thanks for being here. Coming up tomorrow, our vet will be here to answer you pet questions. Stay with your 24 hour justin. We have a bit of a breeze this afternoon from the south at 10 to 20 mph, sometimes gusting a bit higher. Otherwise, our sky will be partly sunny sky this afternoon with highs around 30. Clouds increase tonight, keeping our lows in the 20s. Tomorrows looking cloudy with highs in the lower 30s with a slight chance of a rain or snow shower late. A and snow showers starts tomorrow night and continues into thursday and friday. Highs reach the middle 30s each day. Substantially colder air plows in this weekend and continues into early announcer its a new year, which means its time for a new you. Weve got an hour of delicious dishes that are all 500 calories or less. Michaels putting a spicy twist on a family favorite that will fill you up, without weighing you down. Then carlas teaming up with Fitness Gurus chris and heidi powell, and theyve got a dish that will help you get fit, one mouthwatering bite at a time. Plus, new mom of two, our very own daphne oz is back. Its time to get your skinny feast on, right now on the chew