WASHINGTON—As Vice President Joe Biden finalizes a package of
recommendations for the president to curb gun violence, the
National Rifle Association predicted that Congress is likely to
block any new laws that would ban assault weapons.  The NRA has
so far prevented passage of another assault weapons ban like the
one that expired in 2004. But some lawmakers say the December
massacre in Newtown, Conn., where a gunman slaughtered 20 young
children and six adults, has transformed the country, and
Americans are ready for stricter gun laws.  Still, the NRA says
it thinks Congress would likely prevent a new assault weapons
ban.  "When a president takes all the power of his office, if
he's willing to expend political capital, you don't want to make
predictions," NRA president David Keene told CNN's "State of the
Union" Sunday. "You don't want to bet your house on the outcome.
But I would say that the likelihood is that they are not going
to be able to get an assault weapons ban through this Congress."
Biden is to m