HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Connecticut officials are welcoming President Barack Obama's sweeping proposals for curbing gun violence following the deadly shooting at Newtown's Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, a Democrat, credited the president on Wednesday with taking ``the critical first step'' in making sure such a tragedy does not happen again. Malloy said the president has offered ``common sense measures'' that ``we should all be able to agree on.''

Malloy vowed to make sure Connecticut, considered to already have some of the toughest gun laws, will be a national leader in preventing gun violence.

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal called the president's proposals ``a profoundly historic initiative,'' supporting specifics such as bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

Blumenthal said he'll keep pushing for mandatory background checks for ammunition purchases.