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WASHINGTON — The White House reaffirmed yesterday that President Obama plans to push for a ban on assault-style weapons, setting up a clash with the politically powerful National Rifle Association.
“The president has been clear that Congress should reinstate the assault-weapons ban and that avoiding this issue just because it’s been politically difficult in the past is not an option,” said White House spokesman Matt Lehrich.
The restatement of President Obama’s position — he has long supported a ban but hasn’t pushed for it as president — comes after the NRA issued a strong statement condemning efforts to roll back gun rights and reports that the administration wasn’t going to press hard for a ban on assault rifles.
“I do not think that there is going to be a ban on so-called assault weapons passed by the Congress,” NRA president David Keene told NBC’s “Today” show.
He ripped the ban as a “feel good” proposal, adding, “We have a profound disagreement with this administration, first of all, on what would make a difference. We don’t think that a ban on so-called assault weapons, which hasn’t worked in the past, is going to work this time.”
Since the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, lawmakers have floated proposals to ban high-capacity ammunition clips, ban assault weapons, require background checks for all gun purchases and register all gun owners.
The administration is trying to calibrate how to craft the maximum package that can pass without causing too much political blowback for Democrats, mindful that the 1994 assault-weapons ban helped cost Democrats control of the House.
After a meeting with the pro-gun NRA and other gun-rights groups Thursday, Vice President Joe Biden mentioned background checks but didn’t highlight an assault-weapons ban.
Biden met yesterday with members of the video-game industry.
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence yesterday said its “top priority” is closing the “massive loophole” that lets people buy weapons at gun shows and on the Internet without a background check. It listed an assault-weapons ban at the bottom of a list of “additional policies” that should be implemented.
Sen. Charles Grassley, a conservative Republican from Iowa, yesterday showed openness to a ban on certain ammunition.
“I think that’s a whole different issue and can maybe be dealt with without violating the Second Amendment, but I want to see the legislation,” Grassley told Iowa public television. Asked if he would vote for legislation limiting the size of ammo clips, Grassley responded: “I would not say at this point.”
Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), told a town-hall meeting in his state: “There are some problems, and maybe these huge magazines even for someone who says, ‘Look, I just use an AR-15 for target practice,’ but do you really need to be standing there shooting at a silhouette a shot a second or even quicker with that kind of weapon? For what purpose?” Gingrey added: “I would be willing to listen to the possibility of [regulating] the capacity of a magazine.”
As for when Biden will finish his work, the vice president said, “I’m shooting for Tuesday. I hope I get it done by then.”