[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21983]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        THE ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, in 1994, I supported legislation that 
President Clinton signed into law banning the production of certain 
semiautomatic assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. 
The 1994 law banned a list of 19 specific weapons as well as a number 
of other weapons incorporating certain design characteristics such as 
pistol grips, folding stocks, bayonet mounts, and flash suppressors. 
The 1994 assault weapons ban prohibited the manufacture of 
semiautomatic weapons that incorporate at least two of these military 
features and accept a detachable magazine. Pre-existing military-style 
semiautomatic weapons were not banned. This law is scheduled to sunset 
on September 13, 2004.
  Last week the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence released a report 
entitled ``Killing Machines: The Case for Banning Assault Weapons.'' 
This report explains why assault weapons are the guns of choice for 
criminals, and makes the case for renewing and strengthening the 
federal assault weapons ban. Also last week, the Consumer Federation of 
America announced its support for the reauthorization of the assault 
weapons ban. Former Senator Howard Metzenbaum and Sonia Wills, mother 
of bus driver Conrad Johnson, the last victim of the Washington, DC-
area sniper attacks, were joined by CFA and 25 state consumer, gun 
safety, and public health advocates to announce the beginning of a 
year-long effort to renew and strengthen the federal assault weapons 
ban. I commend all of these individuals for their commitment to gun 
safety, and I look forward to working with them and other gun safety 
groups to reauthorize the assault weapons ban.
  Earlier this year, Senator Feinstein introduced the Assault Weapons 
Ban Reauthorization Act, which would reauthorize this important piece 
of gun safety legislation. I am a cosponsor of this bill because I 
believe it is critical that we keep these weapons off the streets and 
out of our communities. If the law is not reauthorized, the production 
of assault weapons in the U.S. can legally resume. Restarting 
production of these weapons will increase their number and 
availability, and I believe lead to a rise in gun crimes committed with 
assault weapons.
  Although President Bush has indicated his support for renewing the 
ban, he has not yet taken action on its behalf. A spokesperson for 
House Majority Leader Tom Delay recently said, ``We have no intentions 
of bringing it up.'' I hope the President will take steps to urge the 
Congress to take up and reauthorize the bill.

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