An emotional President Barack Obama announced on Tuesday a series of executive actions aimed at strengthening gun laws, bypassing Congress in the process. Washington bureau reporter Geoff Bennett filed the following report.

President Barack Obama wiped away tears while talking about the youngest victims of the 2013 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

"Every time I think about those kids, it gets me mad," the president said.

It was just one of the emotional moments Tuesday as the president defended the executive actions he’s taking to reduce gun violence.

His plan strengthens gun laws already on the books, funds increased access to mental health care and expands background checks for private gun sales.

"The problem is, some gun sellers have been operating under a different set of rules," Obama said. "A violent felon can buy the exact same weapon over the Internet with no background check, no questions asked."

It’s not the first time that President Obama has used the power of his pen to tighten gun laws. Following the Sandy Hook shooting, he signed 23 executive actions after the Senate defeated several measures to expand gun control.

"As Ronald Reagan once said, if mandatory background checks could save more lives, it would be well worth making it the law of the land," Obama said. "The bill before Congress three years ago met that test.  Unfortunately, too many senators failed theirs." 

The White House says Washington gridlock shouldn't limit the president's policy ambitions. But there are risks to Obama bypassing Congress.

For one, his executive actions can be undone by congressional legislation or invalidated by the courts. In fact, his actions aimed at protecting millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation appear headed for the Supreme Court.

Plus, by going it alone, the president risks intensifying the polarization surrounding the issue.

For instance, while many gun control advocates say the president's new plan is fairly modest, at one Virginia gun show, there was defiance and distrust.

"I think we will end up making the list that they are so desperately been trying to get for decades. That's so they can confiscate our firearms," said Annette Elliott, president of Showmasters Gun Shows."

Obama says he believes in the Second Amendment. And he admits that any real solution to gun violence requires Congress.

"It won’t happen during this Congress. It won’t happen during my presidency. But a lot of things don’t happen overnight," he said.