The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Fear and anxiety, questions for those of you who lived through the Clinton AWB.

thallub · November 5, 2012, 02:14 PM

It is very unlikely the US congress will pass an "assault weapons" ban anytime soon. However, some day when the political climate is right, there will be a concerted effort to pass an AWB. Everyone who cares about his/her Second Amendment rights should bone up on the history behind the 1994 AWB.

i followed the AWB from its inception to signing into law. Demand for an AWB started in the late 1980s. The US house vote on the AWB was a very close thing; 216-214. The AWB became a reality when former US president Reagan sent letters to every Republican member of the house asking them to vote for the AWB. At least two of those house members changed their minds and voted for the AWB after the Reagan appeal.

We came close to having the AWB extended in 2004. The sitting president promised to sign an extension of the AWB if it reached his desk. The US senate voted to extend the AWB as a part of another bill that failed to pass the senate. A stand alone bill to extend the AWB would have passed the US senate. The speaker of the US house refused to schedule debate on an extension of the AWB and the law expired. Many folks, myself included, calculated that an extension of the AWB would have passed the US house.

MA, NY, and CA have "assault weapons" bans. CT has a partial ban.

http://www.newyorkcriminalattorneybl...on_ban_al.html

http://www.jud.ct.gov/JI/criminal/gl...aultweapon.htm

November 5, 2012, 02:14 PM	#10
thallub Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2007 Location: South Western OK Posts: 3,112	It is very unlikely the US congress will pass an "assault weapons" ban anytime soon. However, some day when the political climate is right, there will be a concerted effort to pass an AWB. Everyone who cares about his/her Second Amendment rights should bone up on the history behind the 1994 AWB. i followed the AWB from its inception to signing into law. Demand for an AWB started in the late 1980s. The US house vote on the AWB was a very close thing; 216-214. The AWB became a reality when former US president Reagan sent letters to every Republican member of the house asking them to vote for the AWB. At least two of those house members changed their minds and voted for the AWB after the Reagan appeal. We came close to having the AWB extended in 2004. The sitting president promised to sign an extension of the AWB if it reached his desk. The US senate voted to extend the AWB as a part of another bill that failed to pass the senate. A stand alone bill to extend the AWB would have passed the US senate. The speaker of the US house refused to schedule debate on an extension of the AWB and the law expired. Many folks, myself included, calculated that an extension of the AWB would have passed the US house. MA, NY, and CA have "assault weapons" bans. CT has a partial ban. http://www.newyorkcriminalattorneybl...on_ban_al.html http://www.jud.ct.gov/JI/criminal/gl...aultweapon.htm Last edited by thallub; November 5, 2012 at 02:31 PM.