Stars pressure US Congress to act on gun control
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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Hollywood celebrities and children of slain Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy joined shooting victims on Wednesday in demanding tougher action from United States (US) lawmakers on reducing gun violence.
Comedian Chris Rock, aging Grammy-winner Tony Bennett and actress Amanda Peet brought their starpower to Congress to press for legislation that outlaws military-style assault weapons, mandates background checks for all gun purchases, and makes arms trafficking a federal crime.
Such proposals have been introduced or are being drafted, but Congress has yet to act.
"I still haven't gotten over Connecticut," a sombre Bennett told reporters, referring to the December massacre at a school in Newtown, where a gunman slaughtered 20 children and six adults.
