Gun lobby says Congress will not pass weapons ban

The president of an influential gun rights lobbying group says Congress is not likely to pass a new ban on assault weapons.

National Rifle Association president David Keene tells CNN's "State of the Union" that right now the powerful gun lobby has the support in Congress to block a new assault weapons ban, but he's not discounting any proposal backed by the full power of the White House.

Some senior Democratic members of Congress have pledged to ban assault weapons and limit the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines like the one used to kill 27 people, most of them children, in Newtown, Connecticut, last month.

Vice President Joe Biden is expected to send a comprehensive package of recommendations for curbing gun violence to President Barack Obama on Tuesday, including universal background checks and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

ALSO READ

Patrol: 5 die in limo fire on California bridge

US Democrat leader under fire for making xenophobic comments against Nikki Haley

No one wants to bury Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev

Samsung, BlackBerry devices cleared for use on Pentagon networks