Judiciary Committee Approves Modern Sporting Rifle Ban

On a straight party-line vote of 10-8, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved S.150, the  “Assault Weapons Ban of 2013” on March 14. The committee began consideration of the bill last week, but due to scheduling conflicts and the time it took to consider a number of amendments, it wasn’t until a week later that it was finally approved. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) offered a number of commonsense amendments, but all failed on party-line votes. At times, the meeting got contentious between the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and one of its leading opponents, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). The bill, along with other firearms-related legislation recently approved by the Judiciary Committee, now heads to the Senate floor, where votes are expected in early April.—courtesy National Shooting Sports Foundation