President Barack Obama, shown in a file photo, has repeatedly called on Congress to pass stricter gun control laws

(VOVworld)-  US President Barak Obama’s administration has proposed new measures aimed at preventing violence due to gun use, which has reached the alarming level in the US. The White House announced two new gun control regulations aimed at clarifying restrictions on gun ownership for the mentally ill and strengthening a database used for background checks before firearm purchases. The measures are the latest step in a year-long push by President Barack Obama to tighten U.S. gun laws in the wake of a school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children were killed. Obama had directed his officials to take steps that do not require approval from Congress, such as Friday's two proposals. The first action, proposed by the Department of Justice, would clarify who is prohibited from possessing firearms because of mental illness. The second measure, led by the Department of Health and Human Services, would remove barriers that could prevent states from passing on information to the database.