William Richard Keating
WASHINGTON – Cape Cod’s congressman has announced his support for a bill that would ban assault weapons in the United States.
Bourne Democrat Bill Keating and more than 160 House Democrats introduced a bill that would ban the sale, production, and importation of semi-automatic rifles, handguns, and shotguns with military-style or fixed magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds. The list of prohibited firearms would cover 205 specifically named makes and models.
“I saw far too many families who were victims of gun violence when I was District Attorney, and in the years since, we have all seen far too many school shootings,” Keating said. “Assault weapons are weapons of war. There is no need for them for personal protection or sport and there is absolutely no need for them in our communities.
“We know that the previous assault weapons ban, which was allowed to lapse in 2004, helped curb the number of incidents with assault weapons,” Keating added. “If we want to tackle this uniquely American epidemic of gun violence, that has to include stopping the sale of these killing machines.”
According to Keating, the number of victims who are killing in a shooting increased by 63 percent when an assault weapon or high-capacity is used.
More than 2,200 Americans have been killed in incidents of gun violence so far in 2018, according to Keating’s office.
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