President Obama Calls for Ban on Assault Weapons
The terrorist attack at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida has rocked the nation and prompted calls from many for strict gun control. Now President Obama has spoken out and implored the U.S. Congress to change current gun possession laws and reinstate the country's ban on semi-automatic assault weapons.
Obama urged Congress to take action in the wake of the deadly assault at the Pulse nightclub in Florida, an attack that left 49 people dead and many more seriously injured. The killer, Omar Mateen, reportedly used an assault weapon to carry out the violence and commit the murders.
Obama said that he does not want to strip American citizens of their Second Amendment rights. However, noted the President, there are still “common sense†gun control measures that can be implemented to reduce the scary amount of violence in the United States.
The ban on semi-automatic assault weapons expired 12 years ago and has yet to be reinstated by Congress. This is particularly troubling in light of the fact that gun sales in the US are at an all-time high.
Prior to addressing the nation and directly referencing the expired assault weapons ban, Obama met with his National Security Council to weigh the various options for preventing this kind of violent attack in the future. Ultimately, Obama and his team of security advisors determined that the most effective step political leaders could take to stop mass shootings going forward would be to reinstate the ban on assault weapons.
Obama specifically wants the United States Congress to pass new legislation that will make it more difficult for certain individuals – suspected terrorists, in particular – to obtain dangerous firearms like assault weapons. The President made a powerful analogy linking gun control to air safety measures: if a person with ties to terrorism is not allowed to board an airplane, noted Obama, then they should not be allowed to buy a gun either.
For more information, read the Yahoo.com article, “Obama Calls for Assault Weapons Ban, New ‘No Fly, No Buy' Law.â€
If you or a loved one has been arrested for illegal possession of a handgun, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose or any other Graves Act offense in New Jersey, the aggressive, experienced criminal defense lawyers at Lombardi and Lombardi, P.A.can help you fight the criminal charges and avoid the most severe penalties. Contact us today for a free consultation.