Democrat gun control push persists with reintroduction of assault weapons ban

U.S. lawmakers are continuing to advocate for gun control by pushing an assault weapons ban proposal.

"It shall be unlawful for a person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a semiautomatic assault weapon," the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 stipulates — it also includes the same prohibition pertaining to "a large capacity ammunition feeding device."

But the measure would grandfather in those who currently own such items. 

The text indicates that the prohibitions "shall not apply to the possession, sale, or transfer of any semiautomatic assault weapon otherwise lawfully possessed under Federal law on the date of enactment of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025" or "to the possession of any large capacity ammunition feeding device otherwise lawfully possessed on or before the date of enactment of the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025."

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U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., joined by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., speaks at a press conference introducing the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 on April 30, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California leads Democratic Sens. Alex Padilla of California, and Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, in pushing the measure in the Senate, according to a Schiff news release. It also names 37 other Senate Democrats as cosponsors.

There are more than 100 original co-sponsors of the measure in the House, according to Rep. Lucy McBath's, D-Ga. news release.

The measure will almost certainly fail to advance through either GOP-controlled congressional chamber.

Many Americans oppose such legislation, contending that it would represent an unconstitutional infringement on gun rights protected by the Second Amendment.

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U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath, D-Ga., who lost her son to gun violence, speaks at a press conference introducing the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 on April 30, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

But during a news conference about the legislation, Padilla asserted, "This is not about the Second Amendment. This is about saving lives."

The NRA pushed back, declaring in a post on X, "Anti-gun lawmakers insist their push to ban ‘assault weapons’ isn’t about the Second Amendment. Let’s be honest — that’s exactly what it’s about. And it’s about disarming law-abiding Americans."

The U.S. previously had an assault weapons ban in place for a decade — it expired on Sept. 13, 2004, according to a Congressional Research Service report.

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U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., speaks at a press conference introducing the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 on April 30, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

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Former Presidents Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter joined together in a May 1994 message in which they urged the House to "support for a ban on the domestic manufacture of military-style assault weapons," calling it "a matter of vital importance to the public safety," according to a Los Angeles Times report.