On Feb. 7, House Democrats put forth 14 gun control measures with the usual air of urgency that has surrounded big legislative pushes under Obama. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), a proponent of the measures, said: "There's a small window of time here to get something done."

The measures, which largely reflect recommendations by President Obama and Vice President Biden, include universal background checks, "high capacity" magazine bans, an "assault weapons" ban, a "crack down on gun trafficking," laws against "straw purchases," and mandatory gun safety training programs.

It should be noted that none of these would have prevented the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. 

If fact, federal background checks, laws against gun trafficking and straw purchases,  and a state-level "assault weapons" ban (Conn.), were already in place when Adam Lanza committed his heinous crime on Dec. 14, 2012. 

Pelosi said she knows this will be an uphill battle, as was the passage of the original "assaults weapons" ban in 1994. But she said Democrats "have to try the boldest package that reduces gun violence...right now."

Pelosi is joined in this push by Reps. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), James Clyburn (D-S.C.), and Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).