Rep. Chris Jacobs Says He Supports ‘Assault Weapons Ban’ For ‘Something Like An AR-15’

Mary RookeMay 27, 2022

Republican New York Rep. Chris Jacobs announced his support for a firearm ban that would restrict ownership of AR-15-style weapons in the wake of the Texas school shooting.

Jacobs told the press Friday that he would support a gun control bill that would ban Americans from owning assault rifles, according to a video of Jacobs tweeted by WNY political reporter for Capital Tonight, Ryan Whalen.

“I want to be completely transparent of where I am in Congress,” said Jacobs. “If an assault weapons ban bill came to the floor that would ban something like an AR-15, I would vote for it.”

Jacobs accuses the Democratic Party of not having the backing among its members to pass “an assault weapons ban bill” and argues that lack of support for the reason the Democrats haven’t brought gun control legislation.

“Now, if you have noticed, the Democrats have not brought such a bill to the floor,” said Jacobs. “There is not the political will on the Democratic side for that.” (RELATED: ‘Second Amendment Is Not Absolute’: Biden Demands More Gun Control)

Republican Congressman Chris Jacobs @RepJacobs today announcing he would support an assault weapons ban that would ban the purchases of a gun like an AR-15: pic.twitter.com/k1DIIZ9awP

— Ryan Whalen (@RyanWhalenCT) May 27, 2022

Several Democrats, including President Joe Biden, have renewed calls to pass strict gun control laws after the Texas elementary school shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers. Biden announced his support for gun control legislation Wednesday at the White House.

“While they clearly will not prevent every tragedy, we know certain ones will have significant impact and have no negative impact on the Second Amendment,” Biden said. “The Second Amendment is not absolute. When it was passed, you couldn’t own a cannon. You couldn’t own certain kinds of weapons.”

“There’s always been limitations,” he added.

The actual effect of gun control legislation on decreasing violent crime is not settled science, according to The Washington Post in its newsletter Thursday. “The evidence is thin that tougher gun laws would quickly and dramatically reduce rates of gun violence,” writer Amber Phillips wrote in “The 5-Minute Fix.”