President's gun agenda faces an uncertain future on Capitol Hill - New York News | NYC Breaking News

By Nicole Collins, FOX News

WASHINGTON -- Now that the President has laid out his proposals to crack down on gun violence, the push to pass them through Congress begins. And on this issue, it could be a handful of moderate Democrats who make all the difference.

Surrounded by children, President Obama signed 23 executive orders in an effort to prevent gun violence, like improving information sharing, reviewing safety standards and providing more active shooter training for law enforcement and school officials.

"As important as these steps are, they are in no way a substitute for action from members of Congress. To make a real and lasting difference, Congress, too, must act," he said.

The President wants Congress to restore a ban on military-style assault weapons and a 10-round limit for magazines.

Republicans say "no way" and even some Democrats are wary of offering their full support.

"There's a lot less going on here than meets the eye.   The executive orders are useless, and the legislative proposals, I suspect, will not pass. The President's legislative proposals will collapse at the hands of Democrats," said conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer.

His executive actions are facing opposition as well.  Republican Senator Rand Paul says they are a breach of Constitutional separation of powers.

"We will nullify anything the President does that smacks of legislation," he said.

The President's best bet is his call for background checks on all gun sales, which is a top priority for advocacy groups that see it as the most important step to curbing gun crimes.

According to an Associated Press poll, 84 percent of Americans support broader background checks.