Newtown Action Alliance Applauds Proposed High-Capacity Magazine Ban

U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, (D,Conn.) and U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez (D, NJ) announced their Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act bill, which would limit magazines going forward to 10 rounds or less.

The two lawmakers along with Connecticut Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D, MD), U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch (D, Fla.) and members of the Newtown Action Alliance spoke at a press conference announcing the bill.

The bill will likely face an uphill battle as both the House and Senate are controlled by a GOP majority.

“During the dark day of December 14, 2012, eleven innocent children escaped the ravages of gun shots at Sandy Hook Elementary School because shooter Adam Lanza had to pause to reload his gun.” Esty said. “Large capacity magazines that allow people to shoot up to 100 rounds of ammunition have no place in our schools, our movie theaters, our parks, or our streets. It’s time for Congress to listen to the voices of over 90% of Americans who support commonsense gun safety reforms and reinstate reasonable restrictions on large capacity magazines.”

Dave Stowe, vice chairman of the Newtown Action Alliance applauded the bill and said its time for Congress to take meaningful steps toward protecting people from gun violence.

The bill would authorize funds for large magazine buyback programs and would provide exceptions for certain current and former law enforcement personnel among other provisions.

The bill seeks to “ban the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition.”

The NRA Institute for Legislative Action has called on states not to pass similar legislation. It noted that there are already tens of millions of magazines in the country that hold more than 10 rounds and that any determined would-be criminal would likely have no problem obtaining larger-capacity magazines by way of theft or other means.

The institute also wrote that not all mass shooters have relied on large-capacity magazines in the past.