The White House on Friday strongly denied reports that the administration is shying away from pursuing a ban on so-called assault weapons because it would be too difficult to push through Congress.
A White House spokesman, Matt Lehrich, insisted that President Obama will pursue a ban on military-style assault weapons despite what is expected to be fierce opposition from the National Rifle Association and its allies on Capitol Hill.
The New York Times reported Friday that the White House had calculated that an assault weapons ban would be too politically difficult to pass. The newspaper pointed to Thursday’s remarks by Vice President Biden, who is leading the administration’s task force on gun violence. Biden spoke publicly for 15 minutes and mentioned several proposals that could become part of the administration’s legislative agenda – including a ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines and universal background checks — but did not mention the assault weapons ban.
“That report is false,” Lehrich said in a statement Friday morning. “Like I told the Times, the President has been clear that Congress should reinstate the assault weapons ban and that avoiding this issue just because it’s been politically difficult in the past is not an option. He’s also stressed that no single piece of legislation alone can solve this problem, which is why he has asked Vice President Biden to explore a wide array of proposals on topics ranging from gun laws to mental health to school safety.”
Obama has publicly said he supports banning assault weapons, as well as requiring universal background checks for all gun sales and prohibiting high-capacity ammunition magazines. And his administration is reviewing other proposals, including mental health and school safety initiatives, as part of a comprehensive agenda.
The gun industry has long opposed an assault weapons ban in particular, and that measure is likely to face high hurdles in Congress. For many years, most Republicans and some Democrats have blocked efforts to ban assault weapons. Some now say, however, that the political climate has changed in the wake of last month’s elementary school massacre in Newtown, Conn., that killed 20 small children and six adults.
The federal assault weapons ban, which prohibited the manufacturing for civilian use of 19 models of semiautomatic weapons, including certain rifles and shotguns, passed in 1994 and expired in 2004.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) plans to introduce legislation this month to reinstate and stiffen the assault weapons ban. Her proposal would expand the classification of assault weapons, banning the sale and manufacture of about 120 firearms, including semiautomatic rifles and military-style pistols.
Obama has said he supports Feinstein’s efforts, although it is unclear whether he would throw his weight behind her bill or push a different assault weapons ban.
White House insists Obama will push for assault weapons ban
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White House insists Obama will push for assault weapons ban
