Congress' reaction to Obama's gun move may be silence

Congress may react to President Obama's plans to curb gun violence by doing exactly nothing, in large part because Obama's action didn't do anything to change existing law, making it unclear what Congress should do in return.

As soon as President Obama announced plans to take executive action aimed at expanding background checks on gun purchasers, Republicans fired off statements opposing the move and threatening action.

But with few exceptions, the GOP didn't pledge any specific plans, and most lawmakers promised to study the changes while pledging to uphold the Second Amendment right to gun ownership.

"Congress and the American people have repeatedly said 'no' to President Obama's ineffective policies that would infringe on the Second Amendment," Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said in a statement. "The House continues to stand for the Constitution and in defense of the American people's rights."