"Assault Weapon" Ban Introduced in House, 150 Democrats Support It

Reps. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) formally introduced a bill in the House of Representatives on Monday to ban assault weapons.

The legislation, called the Assault Weapons Ban of 2018, was introduced less than two weeks after the mass shooting at a Parkland, Fla., high school that left 17 people dead. The gunman used an AR-15 during the shooting, one of the many firearms that would be banned under the bill.

Today I joined @RepCicilline and 150+ of my colleagues to introduce the assault weapons ban. It’s time for Congress to listen to the will of a majority of Americans and pass sensible legislation to get these weapons of war off our streets. #NeverAgain #MSDStrong

— Rep. Ted Deutch (@RepTedDeutch) February 26, 2018

The legislation would make it “unlawful for a person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, a semi-automatic assault weapon,” the Hill reports.

The bill prohibits the “sale, transfer, production, and importation” of semi-automatic rifles and pistols that can hold a detachable magazine, as well as semi-automatic rifles with a magazine that can hold more than 10 rounds. Additionally, the legislation bans the sale, transfer, production, and importation of semi-automatic shotguns with features such as a pistol grip or detachable stock, and ammunition feeding devices that can hold more than 10 rounds, the Washington Examiner reports.

The ban wouldn't apply to semi-automatic weapons that were "lawfully possessed" when the measure went into effect, according to the Hill.