A Bill For An Act Entitled: Ban on Assault-Style Weapons

“Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that:”

Senator Diane Feinstein sponsor

Section 1: A ban on all assault-style weapons which can be defined as semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns that are able to accept detachable magazines and possess one or more other features.

Section 2: This bill will prevent further casualties caused by the irresponsible use of these weapons. All citizens owning or wishing to purchase a weapon that falls under the definition of assault-style weapons” will be affected.

Section 3: This bill shall ban the current and future owning, distribution, and use of all assault-style weapons. 

Section 4: The US Department of Homeland Security shall oversee the repossession of all assault-style weapons from any citizen and non-military facility. 

Section 5: The punishment for not abiding by this law shall be a minimum of 3 years in federal prison and/or $10,000 fine.

Section 6: Enactment Date: January 1, 2023

Opening Statement:

What do Columbine, Capitol Hill, San Bernardino, and Westroads Mall have in common? All of these places are where a mass shooting was carried out using an assault-style weapon. Despite many efforts to stop mass shootings, including stricter background checks, we, as a nation, are continuing to see many lives lost to such a careless act. In order to prevent more unnecessary lives lost due to mass shootings, a ban on all assault-style weapons is the next step. While not all mass shootings involve assault weapons, the deadliest of these shootings all involved an assault weapon. In fact, while only 27% of the last 115 mass shootings involved assault weapons, that 27% accounted for 40% of the total deaths and 69% of all injuries (Axios.com). 

The right to bear arms has long passed its usefulness. This amendment was legalized to protect us from invaders when our country was just forming and had no sound military. Today we have one of the strongest militaries to protect us. Additionally, the second amendment was written before the invention of assault weapons. Private citizens have no use for protection for these weapons as our military is more than capable of defending our country. 

This ban on all assault-style weapons will take every assault weapon out of circulation- both currently owned and for sale weapons. This will negate the need for citizens to protect themselves with these weapons as no non-military personnel will have access. 

The enactment and enforcement of this bill will not only keep us safe today, but also our children and future generations safe. Children will feel safer going to school and we will feel safer going to the movies, the mall, and work. This bill is the only way to keep us all safe from deadly mass shootings that are currently plaguing our nation.