Leg. Steve Stern Calls For Immediate Federal Action to Ban Assault Weapons

LongIsland.com

Today, Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern called for immediate federal action to ban assault weapons and find common sense solutions to curb gun violence.

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"We demand action" in the wake of the horrific Orlando shooting.

Huntington, NY - June 13, 2016 - Today, Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern called for immediate federal action to ban assault weapons and find common sense solutions to curb gun violence. Just a day ago, an AR-15 assault rifle, which was purchased legally, was the weapon of choice when a maniac opened fire on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. While many details in the investigation are not yet clear, it is clear that dozens of lives would have been saved if the perpetrator did not have access to such weapons of war.

In the last decade, various types of assault weapons have been the gun of choice in nearly all of our nation’s most horrific shootings. Along with the recent shooting in Orlando, assault weapons were used in San Bernardino, Oregon, Newtown, CT, and Aurora, CO.

In calling for an immediate ban on assault weapons, Leg. Steve Stern said: “How many more horrific tragedies do we need to witness before Congress takes reasonable, common sense action and finally bans assault weapons? Time and again, we have watched in horror as deranged, violent Americans use their nearly unlimited access to assault weapons to murder countless innocent victims. Yet Congress remains silent, beholden to NRA threats and recycled talking points about how there is a “right” to own a weapon of war. The madness needs to stop and it needs to stop now. Republicans in Washington have stood idly by after shootings at a Congressional event, a movie theatre, an elementary school, a church, a community college, a social services center, and now, a gay nightclub - but that they have failed time and again to take action. Enough is enough.”

“Banning assault weapons must be priority number one when Congress returns to Washington this week,” Stern continued. “Americans have spent too many hours sending thoughts and prayers to the victim’s families. We demand action. Gun violence is an epidemic and a plague on our society and the NRA will not even let Republicans allow the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to study it. It’s time for the partisanship to end and for common sense to prevail. No American should have unlimited access to a weapon that was designed for one purpose: to kill people. Congress must ban assault weapons immediately as it is the only way to truly honor the victims of these countless tragedies.”

About Steve Stern:
Legislator Steve Stern has spent his entire career fighting for middle class families, veterans, and senior citizens on Long Island.  Currently serving his sixth term as a Suffolk County Legislator, Steve has stood out as both a progressive champion and a prudent watchdog of taxpayer dollars.  He has been a leader in our community – fighting for homeless veterans, senior citizens, and protecting the Long Island Sound. Steve lives in Dix Hills with his wife, Meredith, and his two teenage boys. He is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) and serves as adjunct Professor at Touro School of Law. Steve has also served as trustee of the Multiple Sclerosis Society-LI Chapter, a past Vice-President of the Suffolk Y-JCC, and a coach in Half Hollow Hills Little League.