Jon Swedien

JSWEDIEN@NEWS-LEADER.COM

JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri House passed a resolution Wednesday asking the U.S. Congress to reject President Barack Obama's recent executive actions calling for stronger background checks for gun purchases.

"This is an overreach by the president, again," said Rep. Jered Taylor, R-Nixa, who sponsored the measure.

The House voted 118 to 39 to approve the measure after numerous lawmakers on both sides of the aisle debated the executive actions and Second Amendment rights more generally.

Rep. Stacey Newman, D-St. Louis, a strong advocate for gun control laws, said the president's executive actions weren't very meaningful anyway.

"What these executive actions do very little," Newman said.

Obama announced his executive actions in an emotional speech last month in which he discussed recent mass shootings.

Obama announces gun actions in emotional plea for congressional action

The cornerstone of Obama's executive actions is a background check requirement for guns purchased from dealers even if they're bought online or at gun shows.

The new federal guidance aims to narrow the so-called gun show loophole that allows some purchases to occur without a background check.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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