President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder held a closed-door meeting on Tuesday with a group of mayors to discuss ways to reduce youth violence in U.S. cities. While some gun control measures Obama has proposed have not passed Congress, he indicated he would take executive action where needed to reduce gun violence.

“The President applauded the mayors for their local efforts to combat violence, solicited their input about proven methods, and pledged his Administration’s partnership,” a White House statement said. “He also vowed to continue doing everything in his power to combat gun violence through executive action and to press Congress to pass common-sense reforms like expanding the background check system and cracking down on gun trafficking.”

Among the 18 mayors attending from large cities all over the United States were Newark Mayor Cory Booker, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate; New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu; Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter; Washington, D.C., Mayor Vincent Gray; Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake; Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, and Mayor Jean Quan of Oakland, Calif., according to the list provided by the White House.

Noticeably absent was Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s former chief of staff, whose city is frequently cited for its high crime rate, despite strict gun control laws.

“The President reiterated that government alone can never fill the void that causes a child to turn to violence, but that we all have a responsibility to do our part to create safe communities and save lives,” the White House statement said.

H/T: The Washington Times