President Barack Obama. (AP)

(CNSNews.com) – President Barack Obama said “shame on us if we’ve forgotten” the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in his plea for more restrictive gun-control measures at the White House on Thursday.

“The notion that two months or three months after something as horrific as what happened in Newtown happens, and we’ve moved on to other things?” the president said, surrounded by a group of mothers who have been affected by gun violence. “That’s not who we are. That’s not who we are.”

If the player does not load, please check that you are running the latest version of Adobe Flash Player.

“And I want to make sure every American is listening today,” he said. “Less than 100 days ago, that happened. And the entire country was shocked. And the entire country pledged we would do something about it and this time would be different.”

“Shame on us, if we’ve forgotten,” Obama said. “I haven’t forgotten those kids. Shame on us, if we’ve forgotten.”

Obama called the press conference to again call for “common sense” measures on gun control, saying, “This is our best chance in more than a decade” in the wake of the shooting in Newtown, Conn. On Dec. 14 that left 26 dead, including 20 children.

“Earlier this month, the Senate advanced some of the most important reforms designed to reduce gun violence,” he said. “All of them are consistent with the Second Amendment, none of them will infringe on the rights of responsible gun owners.”

“What they will do is keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people who put others at risk,” Obama said. “This is our best chance in more than a decade to take common-sense steps that will save lives.”

The Senate is moving forward with gun legislation that will include universal background checks, penalties for straw purchases, and expanding school security, but it will not include Sen. Diane Feinstein’s (D-Calif.) “assault weapons” ban. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will allow the ban to be voted on as an amendment, though it is not likely to pass.

President Obama initially called for an assault weapons ban in January, but made no mention of a ban in his remarks on Thursday.