Dianne Feinstein: “I rise on behalf of myself, Senator Schumer, and Senator Kennedy to re-introduce the Military Sniper Weapon Regulation…”

“I rise on behalf of myself, Senator Schumer, and Senator Kennedy to re-introduce the Military Sniper Weapon Regulation Act. This bill, which I first introduced with Senator Lautenberg in 1999, will reclassify powerful .50 caliber military sniper rifles under the National Firearms Act, thus making it much more difficult for terrorists, doomsday cults, and criminals to obtain these guns for illegitimate use. It is my sincere hope that in this new, 50-50 Senate, we can finally make some progress on this bill and limit the use of these powerful guns. Fifty caliber sniper rifles, manufactured by a small handful of companies and individuals, are deadly, military style assault weapons, designed for armed combat with wartime enemies. They weigh up to 28 pounds and are capable of piercing light armor at more than 4 miles. The guns enable a single shooter to destroy enemy jeeps, tanks, personnel carriers, bunkers, fuel stations, and even communication centers. As a result, their use by military organizations worldwide has been spreading rapidly. But along with the increasing military use of the gun, we have also seen increased use of the weapon by violent criminals and terrorists around the world. The weapons are deadly accurate up to 2,000 yards. This means that a shooter using a 50 caliber weapon can reliably hit a target more than a mile away.”