Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak was on hand at the White House Wednesday for the rollout of President Obama's plan to reduce gun violence, which basically inaugurates a tough battle in Congress over gun control.

"There was a sense of resolve that we simply have to get this done," said Rybak, who is in town for a national mayor's conference that will hear form Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday.

Rybak has also been knocking on Capitol Hill doors this week in support of the president's gun agenda, which has received a push from the national alarm over the Sandy Hook school shootings in Connecticut. "Put aside whether it's easy or not," Rybak said. "We don't have an option. We've got to do something."