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Shea-Porter Co-Sponsors Proposed Assault Weapons Ban

AP

 

Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter has signed on in support of legislation proposing a ban on assault weapons, including the AR-15, the gun used in the Feb. 14 shooting at a Florida high school that left 17 dead.

 

She says the bill aims to stop the sale of military-style rifles and assault weapons. Co-sponsors said Monday that it would reinstate and improve the assault weapons ban that last expired in 2004.

 

It would have an exception for gun owners who already have firearms identified in the bill. The "Assault Weapons Ban of 2018" was introduced by Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., and Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla.

 

President Trump remains opposed to such a weapons ban, a spokesman told The Hill. After the Florida shooting, the President expressed support for improvingthe federal background check system for firearms sales. Trump repeated his call to ban "bump stocks," an accessory that allows for rapid firing.

 

Shea-Porter, citing the shooting in Florida and other shooting sprees, said Congress must act. In a press release, she said that "gun massacres" increased by 183 percent after the federal ban expired in 2004. "One law can't stop every mass shooting, but we can make them less deadly and less frequent," she said. "These weapons of war were designed for military use and have one purpose: to kill lots of people quickly and easily. We need to take action now."

 

After the ban expired, gun massacres increased by 183 percent, and gun massacre deaths increased by 239 percent. One law can’t stop every mass shooting, but we can make them less deadly and less frequent. These weapons of war were designed for military use and have one purpose: to kill lots of people quickly and easily. We need to take action now.”

The four-term Democrat is not running for re-election this year.

 

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