In a bipartisan vote of 217-213 on Friday, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1808, the Assault Weapons Ban. Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) has introduced the measure since the 114th Congress. This is the first vote the full House has taken on an assault weapons ban since 1994. H.R. 1808 was approved by the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 25 to 18 on June 20, 2022.
“There are more guns than people in this country – more mass shootings than days in the year. This is a uniquely American problem. In 2022 alone, more than 160 people have been killed by an assault weapon and more than 245 have been injured. This bill will not stop all gun violence, but it will effectively decrease it. Researchers estimate that if we still had a federal assault weapons ban, we would see 70 percent fewer mass shooting deaths. And while nothing we do can bring back 70 percent of these victims to their family and friends, we can honor their memories with action and prevent more carnage moving forward. I urge the Senate to pass this bill immediately and send it to the President for his signature.”
Background
H.R. 1808, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 would:
- Prohibit the sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices, subject to grandfathering provisions and other exceptions
- Define semiautomatic assault weapons to include:
- Rifles, shotguns, and pistols that (1) are semiautomatic, (2) can accept a detachable ammunition feeding device, and (3) have at least one additional listed feature that make firearms especially deadly, including military features identified in ATF reports under the Bush and Clinton administrations
- Certain semiautomatic firearms with large capacity fixed ammunition feeding devices
- Specific prohibited firearms listed by model and manufacturer
- Frames, receivers, and copies of these firearms
- Allow the possession of any semiautomatic assault weapon lawfully possessed on the date of enactment
- Allow the sale or transfer of any semiautomatic assault weapon lawfully possessed on the date of enactment following a background check
- Require that semiautomatic assault weapons be securely stored so that they are not accessible to those who are prohibited from possessing them
- Allow states to use Byrne Justice Assistance Grant funds for voluntary buyback programs for semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity magazines
- Protect the rights of hunters, gun collectors, farmers, sport shooters, and those who use firearms for self defense through exemptions for grandfathered weapons, antiques, most manually operated firearms, and more than 2,200 listed firearms that are not affected by its prohibitions
- Exempt the use of semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices for specific uses such as law enforcement (including retired service weapons), nuclear security, testing authorized by the Attorney General, and temporary transfers without a background check for target shooting at a licensed target facility or established range
This legislation is endorsed by Brady, Everytown for Gun Safety, the Major Cities Chiefs Association, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, the American Academy of Nursing, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, and the American Public Health Association, among other organizations.
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