The assault weapons ban prohibited the manufacture, transfer, and possession of 19 specific military-style, semiautomatic assault weapons by name. It also banned large capacity ammunition magazines that held more than 10 rounds. The assault weapons ban applied to new assault weapons and ammunition magazines. Assault weapons and large capacity ammunition magazines lawfully owned on the date the ban took effect remained legal under the ban.

“Once again, members of Congress have shown that they are ‘gutless’ when it comes to standing up to the NRA and the gun lobby,” said John Johnson, executive director of IPGV. Instead of having the courage to stand up for what they know is right; they allow themselves to be manipulated by the NRA like a ‘bunch of puppets on a string’.”

During the 2000 presidential campaign, then candidate George W. Bush said that he supported renewal of the assault weapons ban. Earlier this year, he said that he would sign a bill to renew the assault weapons ban if it reached his desk. But he took no action to get Congress to give him a bill. The NRA said that it would withhold its endorsement of Bush for reelection until after the expiration of the assault weapons ban.

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry was a cosponsor of legislation introduced in the Senate to renew the assault weapons ban. Over the weekend, he attacked President Bush for his lack of leadership in renewing the assault weapons ban.

While assault weapons represent an unreasonable risk of death and injury to all Americans, the risk is greatest for the nation’s law enforcement officers who face the potential threat from assault weapons on a daily basis. Although assault weapons make up no more than 1-2 percent of all guns in the general population, they are used in a disproportionate number of cop killings. Based on an analysis of FBI data by the Violence Policy Center, between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2001, 41 of 211 – one out of every five – law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty was killed with an assault weapon. Furthermore, of the law enforcement officers killed by a rifle, 38 (75%) were killed with an assault rifle.

The hazard posed by assault weapons to the law enforcement community is the reason that 1,963 police chiefs and sheriffs across the country, including 107 from Iowa, recently signed a statement calling on Congress to strengthen and renew the assault weapons ban. The list of police chiefs and sheriffs was delivered to all members of Congress last week (September 7), the day Congress reconvened following their party nominating conventions.

Said Johnson, “Unfortunately, lawmaker’s loyalty to the NRA and the gun lobby is greater than their concern for the safety of the nation’s law enforcement officers and the citizens of the United States. It’s disgusting. All Americans, especially law enforcement families, should be outraged.”

Public opinion surveys taken in the last year show that about 70 percent of Americans, including a majority of gun owners, support a ban on military-style, semiautomatic assault weapons. The surveys show that the assault weapons ban is supported by virtually all demographic groups – men and women, gun owners and non-gun owners, and Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. “It seems that the only demographic group that is opposed to an assault weapons ban is the United States Congress,” noted Johnson.

Senator Tom Harkin and Congressman Jim Leach indicated to IPGV that they supported renewal of the assault weapons ban, while Senator Chuck Grassley and Congressmen Jim Nussle, Tom Latham, and Steve King indicated that they were opposed to renewal of the ban. Congressman Leonard Boswell did not take a position on the assault weapons ban in communications with IPGV.

IPGV’s position is that semiautomatic assault weapons, which are specifically designed for military purposes to inflict mass casualties on the enemy, should not be available to the general public. Their availability should be restricted to the military and law enforcement agencies. While we recognize that some gun owners may enjoy shooting assault weapons, the potential hazard that these weapons pose to law enforcement officers and the general public far outweighs their benefit to the small number of people who use assault weapons for lawful recreational purposes.

IPGV is committed to work for a strong and effective assault weapons ban in the next Congress and administration, along with other sensible gun policies.