'No excuse not to try': Obama in new push to tighten gun rules

US President Barack Obama has cried while urging Americans to support the tightening of gun laws, saying the 2012 Sandyhook masacre "changed me".

President Barack Obama wipes tears from his eyes as he speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington about steps his administration is taking to reduce gun violence. Also on stage are stakeholders, and individuals whose lives have been impacted by the gun violence(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster Source: AP

He's introduced a new requirement that would expand background checks for buyers.

It requires all gun sellers to be licensed and to keep a record of their sales.

The move is opposed by Republicans, who have accused Mr Obama of overstepping his constitutional authority to force his policies on the American people.

In a speech at the White House, Mr Obama made a passionate plea for a sense of urgency on the issues, and became emotional as he spoke about a massacre at Sandy Hook Primary school in 2012.

"And for every family 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. :

Mr Obama also called for new technology such as fingerprint identification, to improve gun safety.