Back to News
Image Source: (AP Images/Tom Williams)
May 15, 2025
Sen. Schiff Picks Up ‘Ban-Them-All’ Torch for Gun Control
U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) replaced the late U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and has picked up the mantle of her gun control legacy with one bill in particular. He reintroduced the legislation she often sponsored to reinstate the expired federal ban on so-called “assault weapons” as he hopes to once again prohibit law-abiding Americans from owning the most popular selling semiautomatic rifle in America – the Modern Sporting Rifle (MSR).
Sen. Schiff introduced S. 1531, the Assault Weapon Ban of 2025, and made the announcement through a video he posted to social media. Usurpingly, his claims about the previous federal ban are false. His video message immediately received a brutal Community Note, tagging the first-term senator’s message as “incorrect.” Companion legislation was also introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) as H.R. 3115, with the same title.
The time to act is now.
I’m introducing the Assault Weapons Ban Act of 2025. pic.twitter.com/TZu7GTCjvF
— Adam Schiff (@SenAdamSchiff) April 30, 2025
“The claim that the Bill 31 years ago held crimes and mass shootings at bay for 10 years is incorrect. It sunset after 10 years when Congress’s own research proved it had no effect on violent crime committed with the rifles it banned,” the note corrected. ABC News reporting was the source provided. In addition, Breitbart News tagged the video message in an article and reminded readers – or more appropriately, Sen. Schiff, that the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ) reported that the ban could not be credited with any reduction in crime.
Still, as is the case with the vast majority of gun control legislation backed by national gun control groups and their allies, facts don’t matter much. Sen. Schiff is gung ho on banning a commonly-owned firearm in the country, with more than 30 million MSRs in circulation.
Cold Water on Capitol Hill
Despite Sen. Schiff’s gaslighting about the horrors of MSRs, which he falsely labels as “military-style weapons of war,” millions of Americans use MSRs for lawful purposes every day, including for target practice and recreational shooting, hunting and yes – self-defense. Especially during the past five years throughout the coronavirus pandemic and a surge in crime across the country, MSRs have been – and continue to be – an especially popular choice of firearm for Americans purchasing guns, including among first-time buyers. Back in Washington, D.C., however, it’s clear Sen. Schiff’s gun control wish fortunately won’t get very far.
Even mainstream media outlets recognize the California senator’s unquestionably unconstitutional gun ban is a pipedream. The Hill described Sen. Schiff’s bill as “having virtually no chance of becoming law” due to the fact that Republicans control the majority in both the House and the Senate. However, missing from The Hill’s reporting is also the fact that when Democrats held majorities during the 117th Congress in 2021-2022, the “assault weapons” ban legislation didn’t even receive a vote in the Senate under Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), with not even all Democrats supporting the legislation.
Bearing Arms’ Tom Knighton noted that during a formal press conference event to mark the introduction of his legislation, Sen. Schiff was joined by California colleague Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, both Democrats from Connecticut. The group also included Rep. McBath and representatives from the major national gun control groups Brady United, Giffords and Newtown Action Alliance.
Popularity Questioned
During his remarks at the press event, Sen. Chris Murphy proclaimed rather confidently that the American people were on their side and agreed with their demands to ban MSRs.
“Not only is the assault weapons ban the right thing to do, it’s the popular thing to do,” the senator declared. “Every single year when you go into the field and ask Americans what they think of an assault weapons ban… by increasing numbers they tell Congress it’s time, its past time to stand up.”
But the numbers again demonstrate the senators don’t have their facts correct. In fact, trends show the opposite of what Sen. Murphy surmises.
According to Gallup, in October 2024, just 52 percent of Americans said they supported a federal ban on co-called “assault weapons.” That number was three percentage points lower than respondents said in 2022 and a full nine points lower than in 2019. On the flip side, the number of Americans vocalizing their opposition to a federal ban has steadily risen – according to Gallup – by nine points over the same time period. This trend demonstrating the increasing popularity of MSRs overlapping the dramatic rise in Americans who oppose bans has been covered before. In fact, The Reload reported on polling from the Washington Post/ABC News (hardly pro-gun media outlets) that found in 2023 a majority of Americans opposed a federal ban.
While gun control allies in Congress like Sen. Schiff and Rep. McBath continue to push for unconstitutional gun bans using false data and faulty messaging, one thing appears clear. There won’t be any Congressionally approved MSR bans happening anytime soon. Gun control groups will use smears and scare tactics to fundraise and generate media attention. The firearm industry and Members of Congress who support the Constitution and Second Amendment rights will continue using facts and data to fight back.
You may also be interested in:
Categories: BP Item, Featured, Government Relations, Top Stories
25650
