Last Friday’s massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., has prompted one local lawmaker to take up the charge to push Congress to pass two proposed gun control acts.
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, says it’s time for Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines along with them. She’s also urging Congress to close a loophole that allows the immediate sale of weapons at gun shows.
“There is no reason people need access to assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,” Castor said in a statement posted on her website. “Commonsense regulation is appropriate. It is time for us as a Congress and as a nation to take swift action. Congress should consider and pass the assault weapons ban this week.”
Castor is the co-sponsor of two separate gun-related bills in Congress at this time, according to the website:
- H.R. 308, the Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act. This legislation would ban ammunition magazines that have a capacity of more than 10 rounds of ammunition. This was law until 2004 as part of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
- H.R. 1781, the Fix Gun Checks Act. This bill would ensure all individuals who should be prohibited from buying a firearm are listed in the national instant criminal background check system. Additionally, a background check will be required for every firearm sale.
According to Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics, homicides have been on a decline in the United States since 2006. In that year, there were 15,087 homicides; 10,225 involved a firearm as a weapon. In 2010, the overall number of homicides dropped to 12,996. The number of cases involving firearms was 8,775. By 2011, the number of cases classified as “murder and non-negligent manslaughter” by the FBI had dropped to 13,913.
Other weapons commonly used in homicides, according to the FBI, include knifes and other cutting instruments; blunt objects; fire and narcotics. In 2010, personal weapons, which include hands, fists and feet, were tied to 745 homicides.
Here’s what we’d like to hear from you on Tampa Bay: Should Congress ban assault weapons immediately? Do you think a ban would have any effect on the country’s homicide statistics or would the bad guys just find other ways to commit crimes? Would a ban be an infringement on Constitutional rights? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
But, it doesn't take all that experience and training to realize that the enemies of the United States, past, present, and future, would not worry about your concept of "citizens [can be] armed with weapons like these." That, sir, was my point. PS I don't do video games; I leave that to my kids.
http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/12/26/1-dead-13-wounded-in-christmas-eve-christmas-shootings/
That same Supreme Court has also stated that law enforcement whether local or federal; does not bear the responsibility for the defense or safeguard of the individual nor property, or personal effects thereof, thus and by that rationale, law abiding citizens maintain that as a codified right for common defense; reserving no judgement on method other than it stand a reasonable and prudent litmus.
Many things that are common in our modern society were not even dreamed of when our US Constitution was written so comment is as feckless as it is weak. My point is now and always be that our US Constitution is time honored and sacrosanct, but more importantly it is the supreme law of our nation. I do not agree with all the rights and would see some curtailed or vacated, namely the protection given to religion. But that right is cherished and enjoyed by other US citizens and it is as sacred and untouchable as the right to bear arms that I enjoy.
The laws barring these mentally and socially retarded people from buying and possessing firearms have worked and will continue to work as long as the folks working in the mental health field are on board and genuinely show an interest in keeping accurate records as well as reporting to the proper authorities when they have a dangerous person in a program. It is way to damn late to pop the flare when the guy has already carried out the attack that he has been scribbling in crayon during his weekly feel good meeting or boasting about on some bobbleheaded social media blog. It is high time that the way healthcare deals with mentally ill and emotionally disturbed people needs to be looked at very hard because involuntary or forced commitment to secured facilities would have contained these last few shooters and saved our nation a great deal of innocent bloodshed.
average 10 or 15 minutrs to respond to your family members rape or murder.
CJ you are right on the money!