Van Hollen Statement on Appeal of Challenge to Maryland's Assault Weapons Ban

Statement

Today Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen released the following statement after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit heard oral arguments in an appeal to uphold Maryland's assault weapons ban:

"In response to the daily toll of gun violence and mass shootings that too often plague our nation, Maryland decided to take action to better protect our communities and children. The Firearm Safety Act of 2013 was a common sense and comprehensive approach to gun violence prevention. It prohibited the sale of assault weapons in Maryland, the weapon of choice for criminals who want to kill the most people as quickly as possible. The gun lobby is challenging the assault weapons ban in an attempt to silence the will of Marylanders, but I am confident Attorney General Brian Frosh, a longtime and effective advocate for gun violence prevention, will be successful in defending that provision of the law.

"Another key provision of the Firearm Safety Act requires those who wish to purchase a handgun to first obtain a license, much in the way you need a license to fish or drive a car. Research has proven that permit-to-purchase licensing laws save lives, and this provision of the law has not been challenged in court. For Maryland's law to achieve its full potential to save lives, other states must follow our lead to enact permit-to-purchase laws. I have introduced federal legislation to encourage states to adopt these lifesaving programs, and I urge Congress to pass the Handgun Purchaser Licensing Act without delay."

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