Source: United States Senator for California – Dianne Feinstein
Washington—The U.S. Conference of Mayors last week announced its support for the Age 21 Act, Senator Feinstein’s legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons from 18 to 21.
Senator Feinstein reintroduced the bill on May 19, five days after the massacre at a Buffalo supermarket and five days before the school shooting in Uvalde, both of which involved an 18-year-old who legally purchased AR-15 assault rifles, even though it remains illegal for anyone under 21 to buy a handgun.
“Mayors are on the frontlines of the gun violence epidemic so they know exactly what actions are necessary to curb the horrific mass shootings plaguing our nation,” said Senator Feinstein. “As a former mayor, I’m grateful for the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s support for this commonsense proposal to keep weapons of war out of the hands of teenagers.”
“America’s mayors thank you for authoring this important legislation and for all of your efforts over the years to advance commonsense gun safety legislation,” wrote Tom Cochran, CEO and executive director of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. “The Conference of Mayors stands ready to work with you and provide whatever support is needed to see the Age 21 Act enacted into law.”
Senator Feinstein has received similar letters of support from the National Association of School Psychologists, the American School Counselor Association and the American Federation of Teachers.
Full text of the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ letter is available here and follows:
June 16, 2022
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Feinstein,
I write to register the strong support of The United States Conference of Mayors for your Age 21 Act. Last week at our 90th Annual Meeting in Reno we adopted a policy resolution, Enough is Enough, Congress Must Act Now, which specifically calls for raising the age at which an individual can possess or purchase an assault weapon or a handgun from 18 to 21.
Your bill would raise the minimum age to purchase military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines from 18 to 21 and raise the minimum age for a private individual to transfer military-style assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and handguns to another individual from 18 to 21. If these provisions had been law, the shooters in both the recent Buffalo and Uvalde massacres would not have been able to purchase their weapons legally.
America’s mayors thank you for authoring this important legislation and for all of your efforts over the years to advance commonsense gun safety legislation. The Conference of Mayors stands ready to work with you and provide whatever support is needed to see the Age 21 Act enacted into law.
Sincerely,
Tom Cochran
CEO and Executive Director
###