Conn. Officials Welcome White House Gun Control Measures

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut officials are welcoming President Barack Obama's sweeping proposals for curbing gun violence following the deadly shooting at Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School.

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Conn. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, a Democrat, credited the president on Wednesday with taking "the critical first step" in making sure such a tragedy does not happen again. Malloy said the president has offered "common sense measures" that "we should all be able to agree on."

Malloy vowed to make sure Connecticut, considered to already have some of the toughest gun laws, will be a national leader in preventing gun violence.

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal called the president's proposals "a profoundly historic initiative," supporting specifics such as bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

Blumenthal said he'll keep pushing for mandatory background checks for ammunition purchases.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.