A U.S. House of Representatives committee will deliberate a bill next week that would prohibit some kinds of semi-automatic weapons. The news is according to a notice that Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)’s office issued Friday.
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The House Judiciary Committee will consider the Assault Weapons Ban of 2021 on Wednesday.
Recent shootings in the news
On May 24, a shooter killed 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas. It was the deadliest grade school shooting since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.
“Over the past several decades, our country has witnessed senseless killing after senseless kill and each time one fact has remained remarkably consistent — the weapon of choice for mass slaughter is a high-powered assault weapon,” Nadler, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, said in Friday’s statement. “It is beyond frightening and disturbing that a weapon that was designed as a tool of war has found its way into the hands of 18[-]year[-]olds and onto our streets.
“Any weapon that allows for the quick and efficient slaughter of children … has no place in our communities.”
Representative David Cicilline (D-RI) sponsored the bill. An additional 211 members of the House also cosponsored the bill.
It would ban semi-automatic rifles with a fixed magazine that can hold more than 10 rounds. The bill would also contain other stipulation. Legislators want to have carveouts for guns compatible with a detachable magazine. It also would include a grenade launcher, certain types of grips, or other features.
The proposed prohibition would not cover weapons that are antique or manually operated. It also sets aside 2,000 other models used for hunting and sport, according to Nadler’s office.
Even if the bill passes the committee and then the House floor, it would still have to gain at least 60 yea votes in the U.S. Senate to overcome the threat of a filibuster.
What some experts claim would happen
Cicilline said in a Friday statement that, according to researchers, mass shooting deaths would drop by 70 percent amid if a federal assault weapons ban were reinstated.
She then asked, “How many more kids need to die in their schools before we finally crack down on these dangerous firearms which were designed for war?”
“Protecting the lives and safety of Americans is not at odds with our Second Amendment rights. We cannot rest until we ensure that our kids and families are safe in schools, houses of worship, and everywhere in our communities.”