Donna Soto, the mother of teacher Victoria Soto, who was killed atSandyHook Elementary School, leans on her son Matthew at a candlelight vigil on Saturday in Stratford, Connecticut. A gunman massacred 20 children and six staff members at the school on Friday. Photo by Jared Wickerham / Agence France-Presse

A Republican lawmaker signaled ongoing opposition to gun control.

Asked on "Fox News Sunday" why Americans would need to own semi-automatic weapons, Republican Representative Louie Gohmert said, "Well, for the reason George Washington said: a free people should be an armed people. It ensures against the tyranny of the government, if they know that the biggest army is the American people."

Gohmert added, "Once you start drawing the line, where do you stop? ... Gun laws don't work."

President Barack Obama campaigned on gun control in 2008, but he has expanded gun rights in his first four years in office, signing legislation that would allow people to carry weapons on Amtrak trains and in national parks.

He tearfully called for "meaningful action" to prevent further tragedies on Friday, but the White House has declined to say what measures he would support.

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