After spending months and, in the case of gun control legislation, years calling for change, President Obama is leaving it up to congressional Democrats to duke it out with the GOP on some major issues while he relies on the bully pulpit instead of engaging lawmakers personally.

Obama pushed hard in 2013 to tighten gun laws after 20 school children were shot in December 2012 in Newton, Conn., issuing 23 executive orders and three presidential memos. But most actions, such as renewing the lapsed federal ban on assault rifles, required congressional approval, which Republicans refused to grant.