Giffords Applauds Reintroduction of Bipartisan Bill to Raise the Age to Purchase Semi-Automatic Assault Rifles to 21
January 24, 2019 — Today, Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Captain Mark Kelly, applauded Representative Anthony Brown (D-MD) for reintroducing the Raise the Age Act, legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase a semi-automatic assault rifle from a licensed dealer to 21 years old. The current minimum age to purchase semi-automatic rifles is 18.
“Every American knows too well the horror and heartbreak that can result if a young person can easily and legally access an assault rifle,” said Robin Lloyd, managing director at Giffords. “There is absolutely no reason these deadly weapons should be easier to buy than a handgun. For months, we’ve heard elected officials in states, in Congress, and in the White House agree with voters that our laws must be updated to better protect our children and our communities, yet federal law remains unchanged. I’m grateful to Representative Brown and all of the cosponsoring members for continuing their push to make our country safer.”
Since the February 14, 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida, four states have addressed the ability of individuals under age 21 to access firearms: California, Florida, Vermont, and Washington. Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart, America’s largest firearms retailer, have similarly raised the minimum age required to purchase certain or all firearms to 21. 72 percent of Americans, including 63 percent of people in gun-owning households, support raising the age to purchase long guns to 21.
Along with Representative Brown, the Raise the Age Act is cosponsored by Representatives Adams (D-NC), Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Boyle (D-PA), Butterfield (D-NC), Carbajal (D-CA), Cicilline (D-RI), Cisneros (D-CA), Clarke (D-NY), Clay (D-MO), Cleaver (D-MO), Cohen (D-TN), Davis (D-IL), DeGette (D-CO), Engel (D-NY), Evans (D-PA), Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Fudge (D-OH), Green (D-TX), Hastings (D-FL), Hayes (D-CT), Jeffries (D-NY), Johnson (D-TX), Kelly (D-IL), Khanna (D-CA), King (R-NY), Langevin (D-RI), Lawson (D-FL), Lee (D-CA), Lewis (D-GA), Malinowski (D-NJ), Mast (R-FL), Matsui (D-CA), McBath (D-GA), McEachin (D-VA), McGovern (D-MA), Meeks (D-NY), Moore (D-WI), Neguse (D-CO), Norton (D-DC), Omar (D-MN), Pingree (D-ME), Pressley (D-MA), Raskin (D-MD), Richmond (D-LA), Rouda (D-CA), Ruppersberger (D-MD), Schakowsky (D-IL), Scott (D-VA), Scott (D-GA), Shalala (D-FL), Thompson (D-MS), Underwood (D-IL), Veasey (D-TX), Watson Coleman (D-NJ), and Yarmuth (D-KY).
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