Delay Sees Assault Weapon Ban Expiring in Congress
Tue May 13, 2:47 PM ET Add Politics to My Yahoo!
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives will not extend a 1994 assault weapons ban set to expire next year despite President Bush (news - web sites)'s call for its renewal, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said.
"The votes in the House are not there to reauthorize it," said DeLay, a Texas Republican and staunch foe of gun control.
The 1994 ban on military-style assault weapons expires in 2004 unless the U.S. Congress renews it. Bush, who generally opposes additional gun control legislation, has said he believes the ban should remain in effect.
A group of mostly Democratic senators last week opened a drive to get the extension passed in the U.S. Senate, and called on Bush to help.
They said they were optimistic it would clear the Senate but that it would need active help to win in the House, where pro-gun sentiments are stronger and Delay has considerable control over the agenda.
The influential National Rifle Association opposes extending the ban that applies to semi-automatic assault weapons like the Uzi and the AK-47 that have high ammunition capacity and are capable of rapid fire at close range.
Another top NRA priority, a bill giving gun makers and gun sellers broad protection against lawsuits, recently passed the House and is pending in the Senate.