President Biden renewed the push to ban assault weapons Wednesday while speaking with survivors and families affected by gun violence.
The president delivered the remarks at the 10th Annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence.
President Biden talks about inflation and supply chain issues in Los Angeles.
(AP Photo/Damián Dovarganes)
Biden spoke about meeting and praying with the families who suffered during the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, adding that they were able to turn grief into purpose.
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Specifically, he said he was able to get “the most important gun law in 30 years” passed, but it wasn’t enough.
“…Our work continues to limit the number of bullets that can be in a cartridge, the type of gun that can be bought and sold, the attempt to ban assault weapons, a whole range of things that are just common sense just plain common sense,” Biden said. “But you know, we did it before, maybe you remember, in the 90s we did it… And guess what, it worked. The number of violent mass murders that went down was significant, it saved a lot of people’s lives. You know, we You can do it again.”
The 77-page investigative report released by a Texas House committee included a photo of AR-15 rifles purchased by suspected gunman Salvador Ramos days before the Uvalde school mass shooting.
(Texas House of Representatives)
In 1994, lawmakers passed the assault weapons ban as a standalone bill, authored by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who was a congressman from Brooklyn at the time.
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Schumer said then that assault weapons were not made for hunting or target practice. Instead, he said, “they are made simply to kill as many people, people, people as possible. As quickly as possible.”
The impact of the assault weapons ban was mixed.
The federal assault weapons ban was originally in effect from 1994 to 2004 as part of former President Clinton’s crime bill. Since its expiration, Democrats have been actively pushing for the ban to be reinstated.
