Biden 'Determined' to Ban Assault Weapons, High-Capacity Magazines

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US President Joe Biden said on Monday that he is “determined” to ban so-called assault weapons and high-capacity gun magazines of 30 rounds and more amid a surge in mass shootings across the United States.

“Assault weapons need to be banned. They were banned. I led the fight in 1994, got under pressure from the NRA [National Rifle Association] and the gun manufacturers and others. That ban was lifted in 2004,” Biden said. “I'm determined to ban these weapons again, and high-capacity magazines of 30 rounds that allow mass shooters fire hundreds of bullets in a matter of minutes. I'm not going to stop until we do it.”

Biden pointed out that he wants to see a new “safe storage” legislation that would envision personal liability for not locking up one’s weapons.

On July 4, a mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, during the Independence Day parade claimed the lives of seven people. The gunman used a legally-purchased AR-15 rifle.

Last month, Biden signed a bipartisan gun bill into law that enhances background checks of purchasers, restricts firearm ownership by convicted domestic abusers, while providing funding for "red flag" laws and mental healthcare, among other provisions.

However, a ban on assault weapons appears unlikely due to opposition from Republicans.

The Second Amendment to the US Constitution guarantees the right of Americans to keep and bear arms.