Blagojevich, Daley press for assault weapons ban
The Associated Press
Published January 17, 2006, 2:48 PM CST
Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley renewed calls Tuesday for a statewide ban on assault weapons.
The two Chicago Democrats, who have been pressing for the ban since a federal measure banning assault weapons expired more than a year ago, appeared together at a rally in Chicago.
"Every sane person would agree that machine guns and grenades should be illegal," Daley said in his prepared remarks. "Their only purpose is to kill large numbers of people. The same is true of military-style assault weapons."
President Clinton signed a federal ban on assault weapons in 1994, but the ban expired in September 2004 when Congress decided not to renew it. Since then, Daley and Blagojevich have pushed for a state law that would prohibit the manufacture, possession and delivery of semiautomatic weapons, assault weapon attachments and the 50-caliber assault rifle.
Assault weapons are currently illegal in Chicago. Illinois lawmakers narrowly rejected a proposed ban on assault weapons and .50-caliber rifles last May amid intense lobbying by both sides in the debate.
The National Rifle Association argued that the proposed statewide ban was too broad and would ban weapons used by hunters, target-shooters and collectors as well.
Daley said earlier this month that he would continue pushing for stricter gun laws, even though several of his proposals have failed to pass the Illinois General Assembly in recent years.
The Associated Press
Published January 17, 2006, 2:48 PM CST
Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley renewed calls Tuesday for a statewide ban on assault weapons.
The two Chicago Democrats, who have been pressing for the ban since a federal measure banning assault weapons expired more than a year ago, appeared together at a rally in Chicago.
"Every sane person would agree that machine guns and grenades should be illegal," Daley said in his prepared remarks. "Their only purpose is to kill large numbers of people. The same is true of military-style assault weapons."
President Clinton signed a federal ban on assault weapons in 1994, but the ban expired in September 2004 when Congress decided not to renew it. Since then, Daley and Blagojevich have pushed for a state law that would prohibit the manufacture, possession and delivery of semiautomatic weapons, assault weapon attachments and the 50-caliber assault rifle.
Assault weapons are currently illegal in Chicago. Illinois lawmakers narrowly rejected a proposed ban on assault weapons and .50-caliber rifles last May amid intense lobbying by both sides in the debate.
The National Rifle Association argued that the proposed statewide ban was too broad and would ban weapons used by hunters, target-shooters and collectors as well.
Daley said earlier this month that he would continue pushing for stricter gun laws, even though several of his proposals have failed to pass the Illinois General Assembly in recent years.