Barack Obama has urged all Americans to join him in the fight to change the country's gun laws.

The US President has repeatedly called for tougher legislation, but his attempts have been blocked by Congress.

He says he'll meet with the Attorney General Loretta Lynch next week to discuss if he can use executive powers to push through new gun laws.

Speaking in his weekly radio address, he said he could not "sit around and do nothing" while gun violence becomes an "epidemic" in the US. 

"The gun lobby is loud and well organized in its defense of effortlessly available guns for anyone," Obama said of the main opposition to gun control legislation.

"The rest of us are going to have to be just as passionate and well organized in our defense of our kids."