HONOLULU (REUTERS) - The Obama administration on Friday announced it was taking two new executive actions on gun control, proposing a regulation to clarify gun restrictions for the mentally ill and another that would make it easier to add information about mental health restrictions into the federal background check system.

President Barack Obama tried last year to bring in sweeping new gun control measures in the aftermath of a Connecticut school shooting, but most of his measures were defeated in Congress. He has pledged to continue working on the issue despite that setback.

"The Administration's two new executive actions will help ensure that better and more reliable information makes its way into the background check system," the White House said in a statement.