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Within hours of the shooting, a [[We the People (petitioning system)|We the People]] user started a petition asking the [[White House]] to "immediately address the issue of gun control through the introduction of legislation in Congress." That afternoon, President [[Barack Obama]] made a televised statement offering condolences on behalf of the nation to Connecticut governor, [[Dannel Malloy]] and saying, "we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics."<ref name=ObamaStmt121214/> Speaking at a December 16 memorial service in Newtown, Obama said he would "use whatever power this office holds" to prevent similar tragedies.<ref name=Landler-Baker121217/> By December 17, the White House petition had more than 150,000 signatures,<ref name=Wing121217/> and one week after the shooting it had almost 200,000, along with those on 30 similar petitions.<ref name=Levy121221/>
Within hours of the shooting, a [[We the People (petitioning system)|We the People]] user started a petition asking the [[White House]] to "immediately address the issue of gun control through the introduction of legislation in Congress." That afternoon, President [[Barack Obama]] made a televised statement offering condolences on behalf of the nation to Connecticut governor, [[Dannel Malloy]] and saying, "we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics."<ref name=ObamaStmt121214/> Speaking at a December 16 memorial service in Newtown, Obama said he would "use whatever power this office holds" to prevent similar tragedies.<ref name=Landler-Baker121217/> By December 17, the White House petition had more than 150,000 signatures,<ref name=Wing121217/> and one week after the shooting it had almost 200,000, along with those on 30 similar petitions.<ref name=Levy121221/>

On December 21, 2012, [[Wayne LaPierre]], executive vice president of the [[National Rifle Association]] (NRA), expressed the gun-rights group's sympathy for the families of Newtown. LaPierre said that gun-free school zones attract killers, and that "the media demonize lawful gun owners, amplify their cries for more laws, and fill the national media with misinformation and dishonest thinking that only delay meaningful action." He said, "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," and that debating legislation that won't work would be a waste of time. He called on Congress "to act immediately to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every single school in this nation" so that every school in America would be safe when pupils returned to school in January 2013. (American schools typically take a winter break from about mid-December to early January.) LaPierre announced that the NRA would develop a National Model School Shield Program for every American school that wants it.<ref name=LaPierre121221/>


On January 16, 2013, Obama announced a plan for reducing gun violence in four parts: closing background check loopholes; banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines; making schools safer; and increasing access to mental health services.<ref name=WHNow-site/><ref name=WHNow-full/>{{rp|2}} The plan included a series of executive actions, signed immediately by the president, and proposals for Congress.<ref name=WHNow-site/><ref name=WHNow-full/>
On January 16, 2013, Obama announced a plan for reducing gun violence in four parts: closing background check loopholes; banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines; making schools safer; and increasing access to mental health services.<ref name=WHNow-site/><ref name=WHNow-full/>{{rp|2}} The plan included a series of executive actions, signed immediately by the president, and proposals for Congress.<ref name=WHNow-site/><ref name=WHNow-full/>

Revision as of 17:46, 14 April 2014

The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 (AWB 2013) was a bill introduced in the United States Congress on January 24, 2013, one month after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Background

Efforts to create a new federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB 1994) were renewed on December 14, 2012, when 20 children and 6 adults were shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.[1] It was the deadliest primary or secondary school shooting,[2] the second-deadliest mass shooting by a single person,[3] and one of the 25 deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.[4]

Within hours of the shooting, a We the People user started a petition asking the White House to "immediately address the issue of gun control through the introduction of legislation in Congress." That afternoon, President Barack Obama made a televised statement offering condolences on behalf of the nation to Connecticut governor, Dannel Malloy and saying, "we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics."[5] Speaking at a December 16 memorial service in Newtown, Obama said he would "use whatever power this office holds" to prevent similar tragedies.[6] By December 17, the White House petition had more than 150,000 signatures,[7] and one week after the shooting it had almost 200,000, along with those on 30 similar petitions.[8]

On December 21, 2012, Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association (NRA), expressed the gun-rights group's sympathy for the families of Newtown. LaPierre said that gun-free school zones attract killers, and that "the media demonize lawful gun owners, amplify their cries for more laws, and fill the national media with misinformation and dishonest thinking that only delay meaningful action." He said, "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," and that debating legislation that won't work would be a waste of time. He called on Congress "to act immediately to appropriate whatever is necessary to put armed police officers in every single school in this nation" so that every school in America would be safe when pupils returned to school in January 2013. (American schools typically take a winter break from about mid-December to early January.) LaPierre announced that the NRA would develop a National Model School Shield Program for every American school that wants it.[9]

On January 16, 2013, Obama announced a plan for reducing gun violence in four parts: closing background check loopholes; banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines; making schools safer; and increasing access to mental health services.[10][11]: 2  The plan included a series of executive actions, signed immediately by the president, and proposals for Congress.[10][11]

The proposed congressional actions were these:[12]

  • Requiring criminal background checks for all gun sales, including those by private sellers that currently are exempt.
  • Reinstating and strengthening the ban on assault weapons that was in place from 1994 to 2004.
  • Limiting ammunition magazines to 10 rounds.
  • Banning the possession of armor-piercing bullets by anyone other than members of the military and law enforcement.
  • Increasing criminal penalties for "straw purchasers," people who pass the required background check to buy a gun on behalf of someone else.
  • Acting on a $4 billion administration proposal to help keep 15,000 police officers on the street.
  • Confirming President Obama's nominee for director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
  • Eliminating a restriction that requires the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to allow the importation of weapons that are more than 50 years old.
  • Financing programs to train more police officers, first responders and school officials on how to respond to active armed attacks.
  • Provide additional $20 million to help expand the a system that tracks violent deaths across the nation from 18 states to 50 states.
  • Providing $30 million in grants to states to help schools develop emergency response plans.
  • Providing financing to expand mental health programs for young people.

Introduction of the bill, and debate

On January 24, 2013, Dianne Feinstein introduced S. 150, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013, into the U.S. Senate.[13] The bill was similar to the 1994 federal ban, but differed in that it used a one-feature test for a firearm to qualify as an assault weapon rather than the two-feature test of the 1994 ban.[14]

Advocacy

Public opinion

Defeat of the bill, and after

On April 17, AWB 2013 failed on a Senate vote of 60 to 40.[15]

As of April 2014 stricter firearms laws have been passed in Connecticut and six other states (California, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York).[16]: 48–49 

References

  1. ^ Barron, James (December 15, 2012). "Children Were All Shot Multiple Times With a Semiautomatic, Officials Say". New York Times. New York Times Company. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
  2. ^ Effron, Lauren (December 14, 2012). "Mass School Shootings: A History". ABC News. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  3. ^ Candiotti, Susan; Ford, Dana (December 16, 2012). "Connecticut school victims were shot multiple times". Cable News Network. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  4. ^ CNN Library (October 26, 2013). "25 Deadliest Mass Shootings in U.S. History Fast Facts". Cable News Network. Retrieved April 13, 2014. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ Barack Obama (December 14, 2012). President Obama Makes a Statement on the Shooting in Newtown, Connecticut (video). Washington, D.C.: WhiteHouse.gov. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  6. ^ Landler, Mark; Baker, Peter (December 16, 2012). "'These Tragedies Must End,' Obama Says". New York Times. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  7. ^ Wing, Nick (December 17, 2012). "White House Gun Control Petition Becomes Site's Most Popular Ever". Huffington Post. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  8. ^ Levy, Gabrielle (December 21, 2012). "Obama responds to gun violence petition" (blog). United Press International. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference LaPierre121221 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ a b "Now Is the Time". whitehouse.gov. The White House. January 16, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  11. ^ a b "Now Is the Time: Gun Violence Reduction Executive Actions" (PDF). whitehouse.gov. The White House. January 16, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  12. ^ "What's in Obama's Gun Control Proposal". New York Times. January 16, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  13. ^ Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Rev. Gary Hall, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy et al. (January 24, 2013). Assault Weapons Ban Bill (video). Washington, D.C.: National Cable Satellite Corporation. Retrieved April 13, 2014. {{cite AV media}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |authors= (help)
  14. ^ Kucinich, Jackie (January 24, 2013). "Democrats reintroduce assault weapons ban". USA Today. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
  15. ^ Simon, Richard (April 17, 2013). "Senate votes down Feinstein's assault weapons ban". Los Angeles Times.
  16. ^ Cook, Philip J.; Goss, Kristin A. (2014). The Gun Debate: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-933898-6. Retrieved April 13, 2014.

Further reading

External links


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