Source: United States Senator for California – Dianne Feinstein
Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the following statement on the House Judiciary Committee’s Wednesday markup of the Assault Weapons Ban:
“It has been 18 years since the Assault Weapons Ban expired. I’m pleased the House Judiciary Committee is voting on this lifesaving legislation, and I hope the Senate will follow suit.
“Military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines have only one purpose: to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. That’s why they’ve become the weapon of choice for mass shootings.
“When the original Assault Weapons Ban was in place from 1994-2004, gun massacres declined by 37 percent compared with the decade before. After the ban expired, the number of massacres rose by 183 percent.
“We were once again reminded of the deadly nature of these weapons with the recent shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde and Highland Park, three shootings that left more than three dozen dead at the hands of young men with assault weapons.
“Unfortunately, these mass shootings will continue unless Congress acts. It’s long overdue for Congress to pass commonsense gun reform and remove these weapons of war from our streets.”
Background:
- Senator Feinstein was the author of the federal assault weapons ban that was law from 1994 to 2004.
- She and Congressman David Cicilline (D-R.I.) last year introduced the updated bill to ban the sale, transfer, manufacture and importation of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines.
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