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Latest
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If
the assault weapons ban in not re-authorized it
will expire on September 13, 2004. Manufacturers
could once again begin making banned guns.
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These
guns are often used for
drive-by shooters and criminals going into a major
criminal event – who are seeking to do the
maximum damage possible in the shortest amount
of time.
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Senator
Feinstein urges an extension of the ban at a recent
press conference.
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Watch
Senator Feinstein's Recent Press Conference to Reauthorize
the Ban
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Senator
Feinstein and her California colleague Senator Boxer
recall the shooting at 101 California
"Almost
10 years ago – on July 1, 1993 – Gian
Luigi Ferri walked into 101 California Street in
San Francisco carrying two high-capacity TEC-9 assault
pistols.
Within minutes, he had murdered eight people,
and six
others were wounded. This tragedy shook San Francisco
– and the entire nation."
- Senator Dianne Feinstein
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Why
the Ban Is Necessary...
Spokane, Washington
June
20, 1994 - A gunman walked into a military hospital
clinic at Fairchild Air Force Base where he killed
four people and wounded 21 others using a Chinese-made
MAK-90 semi-automatic assault rifle, which was
equipped with a 75-round drum.
The
gunman - 21-year-old Dean Mellberg - was discharged
from the Air Force the month before after a psychiatric
evaluation.
Spokane County Sheriff Larry Erickson called the
semi-automatic assault rifle a "mankiller"
and claimed it is likely far fewer people would
have been hurt had another weapon been used. "This
[gun] gave him the capability to fire as fast
as he could pull the trigger. And that's a lot
of rounds when you've got a 50-round magazine."
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Danger
of Assault Weapons
Assault
weapons are the weapons of choice for criminals -- from
gang members to grievance killers and potential terrorists.
These weapons, such as AK-47s and TEC-9s, have no legitimate
civilian use and were designed with just one purpose in
mind -- the killing of human beings.
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The
Bill to Ban Assault Weapons Forever and Ban Large Capacity
Clips
Our
bill would:
- Strike
the sunset date from the 1994 law, thus re-authorizing
the ban indefinitely; and
- Ban
the importation of large capacity ammunition feeding
devices. These large clips, drums and strips allow criminals
to inflict enormous damage in a very short amount of
time.
This measure passed the Senate 59-39 in 1999 as an amendment
to the juvenile justice bill, and passed the House that
same year by Unanimous Consent but got stalled in conference
committee debate and never became law.
Call
on President Bush
for Support
The
president has made it clear that he supports the reauthorization
of the ban. If President Bush wants to get the  reauthorization
passed, he can make that happen. If President Bush wants
to let Tom DeLay kill the bill, he can also make that
happen. The choice is up to him. Regardless, Senators
Feinstein and Schumer will work tirelessly to see that
the assault weapons ban is reauthorized.
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"As the original authors of the Assault
Weapons Ban in the Senate and the House, we
strongly believe that military-style assault
weapons have no place on America's streets
and should be banned.
In 1994, we fought hard to win passage of
the original ban, and shortly after Congress
returns from the spring recess we plan to
introduce legislation that would reauthorize
it.
- Senator Feinstein and Senator Schumer in
a letter to President Bush (April 16, 2003)
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Senator
Schumer and Senator Feinstein call on Congress,
the President and constituents to reauthorize the
ban.
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Senator
Feinstein discusses the assault weapons ban with
her colleagues in the Senate.
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In
1993, assault weapons accounted for 8.2% of all gun crimes.
By the end of 1995, that proportion had fallen to 4.3%.
By November of 1996, the proportion had fallen to 3.2%
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The
percent of police deaths caused by assault weapons also
fell immediately following the ban. In 1994, assault weapons
accounted for 41% of police gun deaths where the make and
model of the weapon were known. In 1995, this proportion
fell to 28.6% -- a 30% decrease.
The
Legislation:
- Bans
an additional group of these assault weapons that have been
banned by characteristic for 8 years.
- Would
protect some 670 hunting and other recreational rifles for
use by law-abiding citizens.
- Would
preserve the right of police officers and other law enforcement
officials to use and obtain newly manufactured semi-automatic
assault weapons -- helping to prevent instances when law
enforcement agents are outgunned by perpetrators.
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Call Your Representative in Congress
and your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121
