House Democrats Push Gun Manufacturers to End Sale of ‘Assault Weapons’

During a July 27 hearing, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee pushed top U.S. gun manufacturers to end the sale of so-called “assault weapons” in the wake of a spurt of gun violence across the nation.

The hearing—coming in the wake of two deadly shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York—featured testimony from chief executives at two gun manufacturing firms.

Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) set the tone for Democrats at the hearing in her opening statement.

“The gun industry has flooded our neighborhoods, our schools, even our churches and synagogues, and gotten rich doing it,” Maloney said.

During the hearing, Democrats pressed Christopher Killoy, president and CEO of Sturm, Ruger & Co., and Marty Daniel, CEO of Daniel Defense, to commit to ending the sale of so-called “assault weapons,” a term with a much-debated meaning that critics have described as an undefined catchall term.

Killoy and Daniel, for their parts, defended the industry, shrugging off Democrats’ accusations that they were responsible for the tragedies in Uvalde and Buffalo.

“A firearm, any firearm, can be used for good or evil,” Killoy said. “The difference is in the intent of the individual possessing it.”

Killoy added that blaming an “inanimate object” like a firearm for actions committed by a person is a thinly veiled attempt to deprive law-abiding American citizens of their Second Amendment rights.

“We firmly believe that it is wrong to deprive citizens of their constitutional right to purchase a lawful firearm they desire because of the criminal acts of wicked people,” Killoy said. “A firearm, any firearm, can be used for good or for evil. The difference is in the intent of the individual possessing it, which we respectfully submit should be the focus of any investigation into the root causes of criminal violence involving firearms.”

Daniel struck the same

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