Got this from Sen. Allen regarding an e-mail I sent before S. 1805.
Thank you for contacting me regarding the renewal of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban. Since you contacted me previously on this issue, I wanted to let you know I voted against the extension of this law.
Four years ago, in the midst of the 2000 election, I said that my goal in fighting criminals was to enforce, not repeal, existing laws. And, indeed, in Virginia we have seen that incarcerating violent felons is the best crime reduction policy. I still believe our focus should be on criminals not guns, and it should be on programs that work, like Project Exile and the Abolition of Parole.
If the Assault Weapons Ban had proven effective in reducing violent crime, I would have supported this legislation. However, I have listened to the thoughtful comments and assertions of proponents and opponents of this law and I have concluded, after a review of the evidence, that this symbolic ban of nineteen firearms chosen for cosmetic reasons is a meaningless, toothless law that has virtually no impact on crime.
Police reports and federal felony surveys have consistently shown that so-called assault weapons are used in only one to two percent of violent crimes. Crime victim surveys indicate the figure is only one-quarter of one percent. Murders with knives, clubs and hands far outnumber those with "assault weapons" by over 20-to-1. Put another way, notwithstanding this ten-year ban of nineteen firearms, criminals continue to commit illegal acts, they just do so with other weapons; with other guns, knives or objects.
The simple fact is the Assault Weapons Ban only attacks the cosmetic features of a gun, banning some guns even though they function exactly the same as hundreds of other semi-automatic firearms. It is worth noting that the proposed ban does not refer to the fully automatic firearms or machine guns that many Americans view as assault weapons - the Uzi and the AK-47. It also does not refer to guns that can be readily or easily converted to fully automatic firearms. Current federal law already bans the sale of such guns.
In addition, I am concerned that reauthorizing this gun ban legislation will serve as a platform, inviting added restrictions on Second Amendment rights. The current law, then, only makes sense if the ultimate goal it is to ban more and more guns in the future, something I cannot support. This can be seen in several proposals that permanently ban a large number of guns that citizens lawfully use for competition, hunting or self-defense. I have a long and consistent record of supporting the Second Amendment rights of Virginians and Americans to protect their families and themselves, and I am committed to protecting the rights of law-abiding American citizens.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me. If you would like to receive an e-mail newsletter about my initiatives to improve America, please sign up on my website. It is an honor to serve you in the United States Senate, and I look forward to working with you to make Virginia and America a better place to live, learn, work and raise a family.
With warm regards, I remain
Sincerely,
George Allen
