Washington—U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the following statement after the Senate voted 40-60 against her amendment to ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines:

“I’m disappointed by today’s vote, but I always knew this was an uphill battle. I believe the American people are far ahead of their elected officials on this issue, and I will continue to fight for a renewed ban on assault weapons.

“The very fact that we’re debating gun violence on the Senate floor is a step in the right direction, and I hope my colleagues vote their conscience and approve the underlying bill. But I’m certain that in the coming months and years, we will be forced to confront other incidents like Newtown, where innocents are murdered with one of these weapons of war.

“I will carry on this fight against military-style assault weapons, and I ask of the American people that they continue to pressure their elected officials to take action. It’s long overdue that we take serious steps to remove these dangerous firearms and high-capacity ammunition magazines from society.”

The Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 prohibits the future sale, manufacture, possession and importation of 157 of the most commonly-owned military-style assault weapons as well as any semiautomatic firearm that can accept a detachable ammunition magazine and has one or more military characteristics. It exempts weapons that are legally-owned at the time of enactment and excludes 2,258 hunting and sporting weapons by make and model.

The bill also bans large-capacity magazines and other ammunition feeding devices that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. These devices allow shooters to fire numerous rounds in rapid succession without having to stop and reload.

For more information on the bill, visit feinstein.senate.gov/assaultweapons.

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