Assault Weapons Ban Should Not Be Allowed to Expire

ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE -- (House of Representatives - September 09, 2004)

(Mr. CASTLE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, I rise this morning to express urgency and remind the House that the existing ban on semiautomatic assault weapons will expire in only a few days, this coming Monday, September 13.

Reports continue to show that 70 percent of Americans believe that the ban should be maintained. In fact, the law enforcement community, the health care community, and the administration all agree that this ban should be allowed to continue to protect our communities from our increased vulnerability associated with allowing semiautomatic weapons back on our streets.

Some say that we do not have the votes to extend this ban, but Americans deserve a full debate and a House vote before we allow the expiration date to pass.

There is no reason not to go forward at this point; we have only 5 days left.

Do people need an assault weapon to protect their home? No. Do people need an assault weapon to hunt? No. Do people need an assault weapon to target shoot? No. But criminals use assault weapons to kill.

The ban should not be allowed to expire. I implore leadership to let us vote on continuing the ban.