Thank you for contacting me to express your views on the assault
weapons ban. I appreciate having the benefit of your views on this
important issue, and I appreciate hearing from you.
On March 2, 2004, the United States Senate voted 52-47 on a
bipartisan basis to reauthorize the assault weapons ban for an
additional ten years. I was proud to support this extension, a
policy for which both Attorney General Ashcroft and President
Bush have also expressed support. The law bans certain models of
semiautomatic assault weapons and ammunition magazines of
high-capacity (that hold more than ten rounds). A recent study by
the Department of Justice shows that the use of banned guns in
crime has fallen by more than 60 percent between 1995 and 2002.
I supported the original Assault Weapons Ban as a member of the
U.S. House of Representatives and I believe the law has worked.
Unfortunately, the amendment will not become law, as the bill to
which the amendment was offered was subsequently defeated. I
am committed to efforts to extend the law this year. While
President Bush has stated his support for reauthorizing the ban,
House Majority Leader Tom Delay has announced that he does not
intend to bring the extension up for a vote. I appreciate your
support in urging the House leadership to allow a vote on
extending the ban, and I look forward to working with President
Bush to honor his commitment to maintain this common-sense gun
law.
While I support extending the assault weapons ban, I am also
committed to protecting Second Amendment rights, and I know
that recreational use and collection of guns for hunting, sport, and
other activities is extremely important to you and many other law-
abiding Washingtonians. That is why I also cosponsored an
amendment to expand the ability of law enforcement officers
across the country to carry concealed weapons as they already have
the right to do in our state.
As your Senator, you can be assured that I will work to protect the
legitimate rights of law-abiding American gun-owners, while
continuing to support responsible legislation to reduce crime and
make our communities safer. I believe both of these goals are
important and can be simultaneously accomplished. I value the
input of responsible gun buyers and sellers in forming common
sense gun policy.
Again, thank you for contacting me on this important issue. Please
do not hesitate to contact me again on this or any other issue.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator
weapons ban. I appreciate having the benefit of your views on this
important issue, and I appreciate hearing from you.
On March 2, 2004, the United States Senate voted 52-47 on a
bipartisan basis to reauthorize the assault weapons ban for an
additional ten years. I was proud to support this extension, a
policy for which both Attorney General Ashcroft and President
Bush have also expressed support. The law bans certain models of
semiautomatic assault weapons and ammunition magazines of
high-capacity (that hold more than ten rounds). A recent study by
the Department of Justice shows that the use of banned guns in
crime has fallen by more than 60 percent between 1995 and 2002.
I supported the original Assault Weapons Ban as a member of the
U.S. House of Representatives and I believe the law has worked.
Unfortunately, the amendment will not become law, as the bill to
which the amendment was offered was subsequently defeated. I
am committed to efforts to extend the law this year. While
President Bush has stated his support for reauthorizing the ban,
House Majority Leader Tom Delay has announced that he does not
intend to bring the extension up for a vote. I appreciate your
support in urging the House leadership to allow a vote on
extending the ban, and I look forward to working with President
Bush to honor his commitment to maintain this common-sense gun
law.
While I support extending the assault weapons ban, I am also
committed to protecting Second Amendment rights, and I know
that recreational use and collection of guns for hunting, sport, and
other activities is extremely important to you and many other law-
abiding Washingtonians. That is why I also cosponsored an
amendment to expand the ability of law enforcement officers
across the country to carry concealed weapons as they already have
the right to do in our state.
As your Senator, you can be assured that I will work to protect the
legitimate rights of law-abiding American gun-owners, while
continuing to support responsible legislation to reduce crime and
make our communities safer. I believe both of these goals are
important and can be simultaneously accomplished. I value the
input of responsible gun buyers and sellers in forming common
sense gun policy.
Again, thank you for contacting me on this important issue. Please
do not hesitate to contact me again on this or any other issue.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator
