H.R.1808 – Assault Weapons Ban of 2021

Link to full bill: https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr1808/BILLS-117hr1808ih.pdf. Summary of the bill from congress.gov follows:

Assault Weapons Ban of 2021

This bill makes it a crime to knowingly import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic assault weapon (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD).

The prohibition does not apply to a firearm that is (1) manually operated by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action; (2) permanently inoperable; (3) an antique; or (4) a rifle or shotgun specifically identified by make and model.

The bill also exempts from the prohibition the following, with respect to a SAW or LCAFD:

• importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments;
• importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and
• possession by a retired law enforcement officer.

The bill permits continued possession, sale, or transfer of a grandfathered SAW, which must be securely stored. A licensed gun dealer must conduct a background check prior to the sale or transfer of a grandfathered SAW between private parties.

The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD.

Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification. Newly manufactured SAWs and LCAFDs must display the date of manufacture.

The bill also allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender a SAW or LCAFD under a buy-back program.

Zion Patriot’s Summary

This bill grandfathers firearms presently owned that are banned under this bill, if it passes. This bill is targeting a large number of firearms with most of them banned for cosmetic or comfort features. A pistol grip does not make a firearm more lethal or dangerous than a similar firearm without one. A collapsible or folding stock on an AR does not make it more “concealable”. The collapsible stock on most of these guns only allows for a few inches of movement.

Honestly this bill is more like “tell me you learned everything you know about guns from Hollywood without telling me you learned everything you know about guns from Hollywood” than a bill that would do anything to prevent future mass shootings and gun violence.

Instead of focusing on the tools, we should be focusing on why are these shooters doing these acts. There are a number of societal factors that we should be examining. Many of these younger shooters are growing up in fatherless homes. Social media is certainly a factor. Several of these kids are treated as outcasts or bullied. Mental health is absolutely a factor. I suspect that some of the anti-depressant and behavior modification drugs we are giving our kids are a big factor as well. Just look at the list of side effects for a lot of these drugs. Suicide, violent tendencies and strong warning that stopping these drugs will intensify these side effects. If we don’t focus on these issues they will continue to get worse and we will see more of these shootings.