On Committee Passage of Assault Weapons Ban

As a sponsor of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 to restrict civilian access to assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, I want to issue the following statement on the passage of the bill by the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 14:

Restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines were once federal law and are the law of the land in numerous states right now, but passing a new federal bill will take great courage on the part of lawmakers.

While the Senate continues to work to draft a compromise package of legislation to vote on, we need that majority of Americans that support restrictions on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines to speak up and urge their representatives to vote in their interest.

We can reduce gun violence and save lives while upholding the Second Amendment and I look forward to working with my colleagues to achieve these shared goals.

Carolyn McCarthy is the representative of New York’s Fourth Congressional District. She was first elected in 1996.