US President Joe Biden and other prominent Democrats have reiterated calls for a ban on assault weapons in the face of an alarming increase in gun crime across the country.
Judging by recent shootings in Virginia and Colorado, concerns have been raised concerning the funding of law enforcement agencies in states that refuse to implement so-called red flag laws.
The shooter at a Colorado Springs club used an assault-style rifle and a handgun, while the shooter at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, last week used a handgun and many magazines.
Chris Murphy, Connecticut’s Democratic US Senator and major gun control supporter, stated on Sunday that implementing anti-gun legislation will lessen the amount of mass shootings in the country.
The shooter at a Colorado Springs club used an assault-style rifle and a handgun, while the shooter at a Walmart in Chesapeake, Virginia, last week used a handgun and many magazines.
Chris Murphy, Connecticut’s Democratic US Senator and major gun control supporter, stated on Sunday that implementing anti-gun legislation will lessen the amount of mass shootings in the country.
The Democrat legislator cited a “drastic fall” in mass shootings following the passage of the decade-long assault weapons prohibition in 1994. “It wasn’t until the ban’s expiration date that we saw a spike in mass shootings.”
His statements come after Biden warned about the “scourge” of gun violence on Thursday, saying he wants to impose a ban on high-powered rifles capable of killing a large number of people rapidly.
“The idea we still allow semi-automatic weapons to be purchased is sick. Just sick,” Biden said. “I’m going to try to get rid of assault weapons.”
The Democratic-led House passed legislation in July to revive the 1990s-era ban on assault weapons, following the passage of a landmark bipartisan bill on guns, enhancing background checks and red flag laws, which allow authorities to remove firearms from those posing a danger.
However, the plan has yet to gain traction in the Senate, where it would require 60 votes to pass and Democrats lack Republican support.
However, the plan has yet to gain traction in the Senate, where it would require 60 votes to pass and Democrats lack Republican support.
“We learned in Colorado that the county in which the shooting happened was a so-called second amendment sanctuary state,” Murphy said. “The majority of counties in this country have declared that they’re not going to enforce state and federal gun laws.”
“It’s a growing problem in the country and we’re going to have to have a conversation about that in the Senate. Do we want to continue to supply funding to law enforcement in counties that refuse to implement state and federal gun laws?”
So far in 2022, 609 mass shootings have been reported in the United States.
According to The Hill, there were 690 mass shootings in the United States last year, up from 610 in 2020 and 417 in 2019.
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