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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWith Republicans Reeling, Senate Democrats Introduce Assault Weapons Ban
By Jason Easley at Politicus USA
http://www.politicususa.com/2017/11/08/republicans-reeling-senate-democrats-introduce-assault-weapons-ban.html
"SNIP..........
After another mass shooting committed by a mentally ill person who was able to get easy access to a high powered weapon, Senate Democrats have introduced an assault weapons ban.
The Assault Weapons Ban of 2017 was introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and fellow Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.).
Sen. Feinstein said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, Were introducing an updated Assault Weapons Ban for one reason: so that after every mass shooting with a military-style assault weapon, the American people will know that a tool to reduce these massacres is sitting in the Senate, ready for debate and a vote. This bill wont stop every mass shooting, but it will begin removing these weapons of war from our streets. The first Assault Weapons Ban was just starting to show an effect when the NRA stymied its reauthorization in 2004. Yes, it will be a long process to reduce the massive supply of these assault weapons in our country, but weve got to start somewhere. To those who say now isnt the time, theyre rightwe should have extended the original ban 13 years ago before hundreds more Americans were murdered with these weapons of war. To my colleagues in Congress, I say do your job.
The Democrats are right. This isnt a bill to solve mass shootings, but it will remove a weapon that has no other purpose than taking human life from the country. It would not be a quick process, and an assault weapons ban alone is not the answer, but it is a common-sense step towards making it more difficult for individuals to get weapons that by design make it easy to kill lots of people with minimal effort in a short period of time.
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blueinredohio
(6,797 posts)Demsrule86
(68,576 posts)not there in the House or Senate...so what is the point? You will merely give the GOP something to rally around. Trump will not be impeached, convicted in the Senate and removed from office...even if we win the House and the Senate...we won't get the numbers in the Senate for conviction and removal...and without conviction, impeachment is meaningless.
Ukapau
(78 posts)bucolic_frolic
(43,162 posts)On the logical and fully subconscious level, to voters, this is the equivalent of saying
Increase massacres, vote GOP!
Takket
(21,568 posts)I hope it gets to the floor for a vote. It will be crushed by the GOP there but I think it is very important to get people ON RECORD as having voted one way or another.
FailureToCommunicate
(14,014 posts)a good step forward.