Frank Lautenberg: “This bill, which has been in place since 1994, held back on the availability of assault weapons, those holding more than…”

“This bill, which has been in place since 1994, held back on the availability of assault weapons, those holding more than 10 rounds in their cartridge holder. The assault weapons ban amendment would simply extend the current ban on these deadly weapons for another 10 years, with no other changes in current law. It is hard to understand why we would not go ahead and simply extend this. The President of the United States said at one point that this ban should continue to exist. Assault weapons are intended for one purpose and one purpose only, and that is to kill as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time. We should never forget that ill-fated day of April 20, 1999, in Littleton, CO, when Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold opened fire on teachers and fellow students at Columbine High School. They were armed with a TEC-DC9 assault weapon. When the shooting was over, 15 people, including the gunmen, were dead and 23 wounded. We can never forget the picture of those youngsters hanging out the window, pleading for help, pleading for safety, trying to protect themselves. These assault weapons have no place in a civilized society. According to FBI data, one in five law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty between 1998 and 2001 were killed with assault weapons.”