On Sunday, Vice President Kamala Harris called for the Federal Assault Weapons Ban to be reinstated, claiming that some semi-automatic weapons are “intentionally designed” to murder people and should only be used in combat.
“When you meet with first responders, when you meet with families of these victims, you cannot avoid the reality of what the impact of this gun violence is on a community,” the vice president commented.
Harris said the reason mass shootings keep happening across the country is “because those weapons are available, and we have to stop allowing those weapons to be available to civilians living in communities of people who have a right to believe that they are not in a war zone.”
“Assault weapons were specifically and intentionally designed to kill a lot of human beings quickly,” she continued. “It is a weapon of war. If you’ve ever looked at, if I may be so blunt, an autopsy photograph to see what it does to the human body. And the fact that we can’t get Congress to renew – it’s not like we’re pulling something out of our hat. We’ve done it before as a nation – to renew the assault weapons ban, is outrageous.
“You can support the Second Amendment,” said Harris. “I support the Second Amendment, but we should agree we should not have weapons of war on the streets of America.”
While responding to how potential shooters slip past red flag laws, VP Harris condemns the availability of assault weapons.
“We have to stop allowing those weapons to be available to civilians living in communities…who have a right to believe that they are not in a war zone.” pic.twitter.com/XafVpjgxym
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) July 10, 2022
The Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which was in effect from 1994 to 2004, specifically forbade the possession of 19 different semi-automatic firearm types as well as other rifles, shotguns, and handguns with two or more of a specific group of characteristics, such as pistol grips, detachable magazines, and sound suppressors. Additionally, a magazine could hold a maximum of 10 rounds.
A study released for the Department of Justice determined that its “impact on gun violence is likely to be small at best, and perhaps too small for reliable measurement.”
In the wake of many recent mass shootings, President Biden, who was a senator when the ban was imposed, has frequently campaigned for its reinstatement.
However, despite the fact that Democrats now hold a majority in both houses of Congress, any gun control legislation would need 60 votes to pass in the Senate, which means that at least 10 Republicans would need to support the proposal for it to pass.
In the meanwhile, a recent Quinnipiac University survey indicated that 50% of registered voters support a national ban on semi-automatic long guns, compared to 45% who oppose it. This is the lowest level of support since Quinnipiac started asking that subject in February 2013, when the poll was conducted.
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