Mike Levin: “despite the potential threat from terrorists armed with easily accessible powerful firearms, Congress still has taken no…”

“despite the potential threat from terrorists armed with easily accessible powerful firearms, Congress still has taken no action to require Federal registration of .50 caliber sniper rifles. We must do more to protect our families and communities. The .50 caliber sniper rifle is a favorite weapon of militaries around the world and is also among the most powerful weapons legally available to private individuals in the United States. Published reports indicate that .50 caliber sniper rifles are capable of accurately hitting a target more than 1,500 yards away with a bullet measuring a half inch in diameter. In addition, these thumb-size bullets come in armor-piercing, incendiary, and explosive varieties that can easily punch through aircraft fuselages, fuel tanks, and engines. Currently, these highly destructive sniper rifles, which have no sporting purpose, are subject to only minimal Federal regulation and are treated the same as other long rifles, including shotguns, hunting rifles, and smaller target rifles. In August, the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association adopted a resolution in support of ``Federal, State, and territorial laws that would restrict the sale, distribution, transfer, and possession of .50 caliber sniper weapons except to the U.S.…”