Assault Weapons Ban Could Get Senate Committee Vote Thursday

The wide ranging gun ban bill introduced by Senator Diane Feinstein (D, CA) could be voted out of committee and passed on to the full Senate as early as Thursday.

A schedule posted for the upcoming February 28 executive business meeting shows the Senate Judiciary Committee intends to discuss Feinstein’s and three other gun control bills, though the eight Republican members of the committee have the option to push the meeting off for another week.

The Feinstein bill bans up to 160 specifically named firearms but might have an uphill battle in the Senate as even some Democrat Senators have said it goes too far by banning too many firearms.

Less than a month ago Senate Democrat majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) shied from supporting Feinstein’s bill directly, though he praised her “enthusiasm” for her gun banning bill.

On his recent campaign website, Reid announced his support for the Second Amendment and touted his opposition to past gun banning bills. On the site, Reid said he was “staunchly opposed to the so-called assault weapons ban, played a critical role in passing a law to protect gun manufacturers from junk lawsuits, and consistently votes to protect Nevadans’ Second Amendment rights.”

The other gun bills, all sponsored by Democrats, include Patrick Leahy’s firearm trafficking bill intended to make gun trafficking a federal crime, Chuck Schumer’s gun seller’s act looking to expand background checks even to private gun sales, and Barbara Boxer’s school safety enhancement bill. The latter would provide $50 million in federal funds to schools to help them draft new security policies but would not fund security guards.