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Democrats Reintroduce Assault Weapons Ban Amid Ongoing Gun Control Debate
On Wednesday, Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) collaborated with Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and fellow Democrats to renew efforts for an assault weapons ban, aimed at prohibiting the purchase and ownership of high-powered semiautomatic weapons, including the widely used AR-15 rifle.
Despite the legislative initiative, the bill faces considerable challenges in becoming law due to Republican dominance in both the White House and Congress. Nonetheless, Democrats view this proposal as a crucial component of the ongoing discourse surrounding gun control in Washington, which has stagnated since the expiration of the 1994 assault weapons ban over two decades ago.
At a press conference scheduled for Wednesday afternoon on Capitol Hill, Schiff and his Democratic colleagues will stand alongside representatives from various gun-control organizations, such as Brady, Giffords, and Newtown Action Alliance, to unveil the legislation.
In addition to Schiff and Murphy, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), as well as Representative Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), are expected to participate in the announcement.
The senators emphasized that during the period when the assault weapons ban was enacted from 1994 to 2004, there was a noted 37 percent reduction in mass shootings across the United States, along with fewer fatalities per incident.
A Gallup poll conducted in November revealed that 52 percent of Americans are in favor of an assault weapons ban, although this figure reflects a decline in support compared to previous years. Overall, 56 percent of individuals surveyed believe that gun control laws should be more stringent, according to last year’s Gallup data.
As a first-term senator, Schiff is stepping into the role of lead sponsor of the assault weapons ban from the late Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who championed the initiative throughout her distinguished Senate tenure. Feinstein passed away in September 2023, and Schiff was elected to succeed her in the Senate last year.
Updated at 12:55 p.m. EDT
Source
thehill.com