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5mo ago

Senate Democrats Reintroduce Assault Weapons Ban of 2025

Led by Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, the proposed legislation seeks to revive the 1994 ban but faces slim chances under Republican-controlled Congress.

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 30: U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) speaks at a press conference introducing the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 on April 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. The legislation would ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons at the state level to help prevent future mass shootings. Schiff was joined by (L-R) Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA), Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA). (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) speaks at a press conference introducing the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 on April 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. The legislation would ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons at the state level to help prevent future mass shootings. Schiff was joined by (L-R) Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA), Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA). (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) arrives for Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing where Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) director Rohit Chopra will testify on Capitol Hill on December 11, 2024 in Washington, DC. The powerful financial watchdog agency is facing an uncertain future, with renewed Republican efforts to weaken the agency under a second Trump administration. The CFPB, established in 2010 through the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law to combat financial system abuses, has long been a target of conservative criticism. (Kent Nishimura/Getty)
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Overview

  • The Assault Weapons Ban of 2025 would prohibit the sale, manufacture, import, and transfer of semiautomatic assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, while grandfathering existing lawful owners.
  • The bill, introduced by Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, is co-sponsored by 37 Senate Democrats, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and over 100 House members led by Rep. Lucy McBath.
  • Proponents cite data showing a 37% decline in mass shootings and a 70% reduction in fatalities during the 1994–2004 federal ban, though studies on its overall impact remain inconclusive.
  • Schiff and Padilla emphasized the bill as a continuation of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s legacy, who championed the original 1994 legislation.
  • Despite strong advocacy by gun-control groups, including Brady and GIFFORDS, the bill is unlikely to pass due to Republican control of both Congress and the White House.