Biden Says He’s ‘Determined’ to Renew ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban

President Joe Biden on Monday said he wants to implement a new ban on “assault weapons” as he touted the Safer Communities Act at the White House.

“We’re living in a country awash in weapons of war,” Biden said, apparently referring to AR-15-style rifles. “What is the rationale for these weapons outside war zones?”

“Assault weapons need to be banned,” Biden added as he signed the measure into law. “They were banned. I led the fight in 1994. And then under pressure from the [National Rifle Association] and the gun manufacturers and others, that ban was lifted in 2004.”

Suicides accounted for about 54 percent of all gun-related deaths in the United States in 2020, while 43 percent were murdered, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The other 3 percent were classified as gun-related deaths involving law enforcement, unintentional, or had undetermined circumstances.