Obama to Seek New Assault Weapons Ban

[TC95GT]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=6960824&page=1

By JASON RYAN
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2009

The Obama administration will seek to reinstate the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004 during the Bush administration, Attorney General Eric Holder said today.
PHOTO Wednesday Attorney General Eric Holder said that the Obama administration will seek to reinstitute the assault weapons ban which expired in 2004 during the Bush administration.

Wednesday Attorney General Eric Holder said that the Obama administration will seek to reinstitute the assault weapons ban which expired in 2004 during the Bush administration.

"As President Obama indicated during the campaign, there are just a few gun-related changes that we would like to make, and among them would be to reinstitute the ban on the sale of assault weapons," Holder told reporters.

Holder said that putting the ban back in place would not only be a positive move by the United States, it would help cut down on the flow of guns going across the border into Mexico, which is struggling with heavy violence among drug cartels along the border.

"I think that will have a positive impact in Mexico, at a minimum." Holder said at a news conference on the arrest of more than 700 people in a drug enforcement crackdown on Mexican drug cartels operating in the U.S.

Mexican government officials have complained that the availability of sophisticated guns from the United States have emboldened drug traffickers to fight over access routes into the U.S.

A State Department travel warning issued Feb. 20, 2009, reflected government concerns about the violence.

"Some recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat, with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades," the warning said. "Large firefights have taken place in many towns and cities across Mexico, but most recently in northern Mexico, including Tijuana, Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez."

At the news conference today, Holder described his discussions with his Mexican counterpart about the recent spike in violence.

"I met yesterday with Attorney General Medina Mora of Mexico, and we discussed the unprecedented levels of violence his country is facing because of their enforcement efforts," he said.

Holder declined to offer any time frame for the reimplementation of the assault weapons ban, however.

"It's something, as I said, that the president talked about during the campaign," he said. "There are obviously a number of things that are -- that have been taking up a substantial amount of his time, and so, I'm not sure exactly what the sequencing will be."

In a brief interview with ABC News, Wayne LaPierre, president of the National Rifle Association, said, "I think there are a lot of Democrats on Capitol Hill cringing at Eric Holder's comments right now."

During his confirmation hearing, Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee about other gun control measures the Obama administration may consider.

"I think closing the gun show loophole, the banning of cop-killer bullets and I also think that making the assault weapons ban permanent, would be something that would be permitted under Heller," Holder said, referring to the Supreme Court ruling in Washington, D.C. v. Heller, which asserted the Second Amendment as an individual's right to own a weapon.

The Assault Weapons Ban signed into law by President Clinton in 1994 banned 19 types of semi-automatic military-style guns and ammunition clips with more than 10 rounds.

"A semi-automatic is a quintessential self-defense firearm owned by American citizens in this country," LaPierre said. "I think it is clearly covered under Heller and it's clearly, I think, protected by the Constitution."

[s10trev]

Wow, I don't understand the mentality of these people. Ban guns here so hopefully it helps Mexico. Great.

[gunflint]

Funny, I don't remember EBO indicating any gun bans during his campaign. But then again that's probably something that I wouldn't pay much attention too.

[Paul]

GOOD! Nobody needs guns!


No... But seriously I never understood some of this legislation... Especially related to magazine capacity. I feel confident that my Sig is just as "dangerous" with the restricted 10 round magazines as it is with the "high capacity" 12 round. Pointless!

[Paul]

Funny, I don't remember EBO indicating any gun bans during his campaign.

Well that's because he catered to the groups he was speaking to. Apparently it was your fault for simply watching the presidential debates, televised press conferences, and interviews with the media. You should have attended the non televised liberal rallies with all of the other sandal wearing, dirty feet people.

[princewally]

Wow, I don't understand the mentality of these people. Ban guns here so hopefully it helps Mexico. Great.

Even worse, ban guns here that aren't being used in Mexico to curb the flow of guns from other places into Mexico.

[tt3]

It never made it into the debates because there was nothing to debate about, they both supported the ban, didn't they?

[Paul]

John McCain on the assault weapon ban.

[Paul]

Here is a link to his reported stand on the issue. It is too long to bother pasting here

http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/John_Mc ... ontrol.htm

Basically it said he voted against the Brady Bill and assault weapon ban, but would be open to certain laws if they were not prohibitive to recreational shooters/law abiding citizens and so on...

[RobD]

Right... sacrifice American freedoms to help other countries... Sounds like a plan...

[Paul]

Who knows how much of this is true, or just propaganda. Take it for what it's worth.

[macphisto]

You should have attended the non televised liberal rallies with all of the other sandal wearing, dirty feet people.

Don't forget the crunchy dreads and patchouli stank.

[Pinnacle]

Right... sacrifice American freedoms to help other countries... Sounds like a plan...

Welcome to the collective.

[Rem700]

"Some recent Mexican army and police confrontations with drug cartels have resembled small-unit combat, with cartels employing automatic weapons and grenades," the warning said. "Large firefights have taken place in many towns and cities across Mexico, but most recently in northern Mexico, including Tijuana, Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez."


And banning semi automatics is gonna curb this bye?

[Paul]

I heard somewhere on the news the past couple of days that they are issuing travel advisories to U.S. citizens planning on going to Mexico. Apparently it is difficult to distinguish the military from the drug cartels as they are both heavily armed and chaos continually breaks out. Sounds like a fun place.

Viva La Revolución