Biden says he is ‘determined’ to reinstate US assault weapon ban

In addition to reinstating the ban, and barring the sale of high-capacity magazines, Biden said Congress should pass legislation that would require gun owners to securely lock up their firearms, or be held responsible if their weapons are used to commit a crime. (File photo: Roman Poberezhnik/Unsplash)

WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden renewed his call for lawmakers to reinstate a nation-wide ban on the sale of assault-style firearms, saying he is “determined” to see it through.

The prohibition, which expired after a decade in 2004, was part of a series of additional proposals put forward by the president as he celebrated the passage of a gun control law prompted by mass shootings in Texas and New York that shocked the nation.

Biden said that during the 10 years the assault weapons ban was in effect “mass shootings went down,” but its expiration was followed by a tripling in mass shootings.

“I am determined to ban these weapons again, and high capacity magazines that hold 30 rounds, and let mass shooters fire hundreds of bullets in a matter of minutes. I’m not going to stop until we do it,” he added.

The president was delivering remarks one week after yet another mass shooting outside of Chicago, Illinois on July 4 that targeted people in a parade celebrating Independence Day. Seven people were killed, and 30 other victims were injured in Highland Park.

“We’re living in a country awash in weapons of war,” said Biden. “What is the rationale for these weapons outside war zones?”

In addition to reinstating the ban, and barring the sale of high-capacity magazines, Biden said Congress should pass legislation that would require gun owners to securely lock up their firearms, or be held responsible if their weapons are used to commit a crime.

“If you have a weapon, you have a responsibility to secure it and keep it under lock and key,” he said. “No one else should have access to it. So, lock it up, have trigger locks, and if you don’t, and something bad happens, you should be held responsible.”