Mike Levin: “this week is the last week that Congress is in session before the August recess and there is only one additional week to…”

“this week is the last week that Congress is in session before the August recess and there is only one additional week to act before the Assault Weapons Ban expires on September 13th. This past Monday, one of our former colleagues, Senator Howard Metzenbaum, wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post. In his article, Senator Metzenbaum highlights the broad support this law has among Americans, as well as the inconsistencies between the stated positions and the actions of President Bush on the reauthorization of this critical law. As my colleagues know, in addition to banning 19 specific weapons, the existing ban makes it illegal to ``manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic'' firearm that can accept a detachable magazine and has more than one of several specific military features, such as folding/telescoping stocks, protruding pistol grips, bayonet mounts, threaded muzzles or flash suppressors, barrel shrouds or grenade launchers. These weapons are dangerous and they should not be on America's streets. In April of this year, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence joined hundreds of local elected officials and senior law enforcement officials to urge President Bush to push for reauthorization of this critical piece of gun safety legislation. Since then, the support for this important law has grown exponentially.”