Statement at Press Conference on Assault Weapons Ban

Statement of the Hon. Rosa DeLauro
Press Conference on Assault Weapons Ban

WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.-3), one of the original cosponsors of legislation to ban assault weapons, today urged President Bush and Republican House leadership to renew the federal ban. DeLauro issued the following remarks at a press conference on Capitol Hill.

"A decade ago, we fought to enact historic legislation to take cop-killing, military-style assault weapons off of our streets. It was not easy - it was an uphill battle all the way. But since that time, the criminal use of banned assault weapons has declined, the gun murder rate has declined, and the number of murders of police officers by criminals with assault weapons has declined. In short, the ban has worked.

"But in less than 8 hours, that ban will expire, and assault weapons are going to be back on the shelves - available for purchase at gun stores or gun shows across the nation. It does not have to happen. And we are here together today to call on the White House and the Republican Leadership to keep these weapons off of our streets by bringing the assault weapons ban reauthorization before the Congress for a vote.

"As my colleagues have mentioned, right now we have the Federal government recalling the Super Soaker toy gun at the same time we are within hours of letting assault weapons back on our streets - a gun which a new analysis of FBI data found was responsible for the killing of 1 in 5 law enforcement officers slain in the line of duty between 1998 through 2001. The mere notion that we would again legalize these guns is outrageous.

"There is a simple principle at work here - our police should never be outgunned by criminals. Congress has a moral obligation to reauthorize this ban. Let's stand with our police officers, with families determined to keep their communities safe, and reauthorize the assault weapons ban."