Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein of California will be introducing an assault weapons bill that would make it illegal for any individual younger than 21 years of age to purchase one.
“Under current law, licensed gun dealers cannot sell a handgun to anyone under 21, but they are allowed to sell assault rifles like the AR-15 to anyone over 18. This policy is dangerous and makes absolutely no sense,” the Senator wrote in a statement. “I plan to introduce a bill to require all firearms purchases from gun dealers be restricted to individuals who are at least 21 years old. If you can’t buy a handgun or a bottle of beer, you shouldn’t be able to buy an AR-15,” she added.
A former student, Nikolas Cruz, 19, walked into the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, and began firing indiscriminately, killing seventeen students in one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. An AR-15 semi-automatic rifle was believed to have been used in the attack.
Democrats in Congress are calling for increased gun-control measures in the wake of the Parkland tragedy. Republicans are calling for much-needed reforms in the country’s mental health system instead. Congress is on a winter recess this week and won’t be returning until next week.
A previous ban on assault rifles expired in 2004. Efforts in Congress to renew it have failed repeatedly. Feinstein hopes the outcry over the Parkland shooting will make this time different. “This is common sense, and I hope my Republican colleagues will join me in this effort,” she said.