President Obama is set to propose sweeping new gun restrictions today, more than a month after the Newtown school massacre. Obama will reportedly call for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, as well as expanded background checks for gun buyers. In Washington, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Obama will hold a campaign-style public event to unveil his proposals.

Jay Carney: “The president and vice president will hold an event here at the White House to unveil a package of concrete proposals to reduce gun violence and prevent future tragedies like the one in Newtown, Connecticut. They will be joined by children from around the country who wrote the president letters in the wake of that tragedy expressing their concerns about gun violence and school safety, along with their parents.”

Obama’s gun violence initiative comes as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed into a law a new measure expanding the state’s ban on assault weapons, limiting ammunition clips to seven rounds, and imposing new mental health screening for purchases of weapons.