Following President Barack Obama’s executive action announcement on gun reforms, the response, as expected, fell on partisan lines.

On Tuesday, Obama announced that businesses selling firearms must get a license and conduct background checks, or be subject to criminal prosecutions, even if the transaction is made at a gun show or the Internet. Including expanding background checks and hiring more than 200 people to monitor background checks, Obama said he's going to work to ensure federal mental health records are submitted to the background check system and allow states to report relevant information.

"And for those in Congress who so often rush to blame mental illness for mass shootings as a way of avoiding action on guns, here's your chance to support these efforts. Put your money where your mouth is," Obama said.

"All of us need to demand a Congress brave enough to stand up to the gun lobby's lies," Obama later added. "All of us need to stand up and protect its citizens. All of us need to demand governors and legislatures and businesses do their part to make our communities safer. We need the wide majority of responsible gun owners who grieve with us every time this happens and feel like your views are not being properly represented to join with us to demand something better."

Following his remarks, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., said Obama "never respected" the right to legal and safe gun ownership. Ryan said Obama's executive actions target law-abiding citizens instead of focusing on criminals and terrorists.

"His words and actions amount to a form of intimidation that undermines liberty," Ryan said about Obama.

"No matter what President Obama says, his word does not trump the Second Amendment. We will conduct vigilant oversight. His executive order will no doubt be challenged in the courts. Ultimately, everything the president has done can be overturned by a Republican president, which is another reason we must win in November."

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra, congressman for California's 34th Congressional District, commended Obama for acting but acknowledges that it's the job of Congress to act on gun reforms.

"I appreciate that President Obama is taking action where he can to protect American families from gun violence. The President is doing his job; it's time for Congress to help," Becerra said.

"Only Congress can fully and permanently close the loopholes that allow guns to fall into the hands of criminals, the mentally ill, and those who look to terrorize our citizens. Moments of silence in the House and Senate chambers are no substitute for real action to save our loved ones from the horrors of senseless and avoidable gun violence."

Other Latino members of Congress used social media to respond to Obama's executive action.

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The Republican National Committee (RNC) called Obama's action as an "overreach" on guns. RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said Obama has "routinely overstepped" the Constitution to restrict the Second Amendment. Priebus added that the executive actions would have prevented the previous mass shootings and it's only a political move.

"The truth is, this executive overreach is all about burnishing the president's legacy and boosting Democrat enthusiasm in a presidential election year. But that's no excuse for subverting the will of the people's representatives in Congress, and the American people won't tolerate President Obama's dangerous power grab," said Priebus.

Presidential candidates also commented on the executive actions, whether through a prepared statement or on social media.

Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley said Obama's actions are critical, "because every day we spend debating gun control is a day that we lose lives -- and one American life is worth more than all the gun sales in America.

"As President, I will build on President Obama's progress by taking further executive actions to reform our gun laws. These include using the purchasing power of our federal government -- the biggest customer gun companies have -- to advance gun safety, banning 'cop killer' ammunition, declaring blanket immunity for gun dealers and manufacturers unconstitutional, and ceasing to defend the federal immunity law. I urge my fellow Democratic candidates for President to put forward similarly bold plans to improve gun safety and save lives."

Fellow Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said Republicans will not act on gun reforms, regardless of gun-related shootings and deaths, due to the interests from the National Rifle Association.

"They (Republicans) are simply more loyal to gun lobbyists than our children. That's why I support President Obama's executive actions to make our communities safer. A vast majority of the American people, including responsible gun owners who are sickened by the deaths of so many innocent people, agree with the common sense reforms announced today. As president, I will continue these executive orders because it's past time to end the moral outrage of Aurora, and Newtown and Charleston."

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Politics Editor Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.