Norton Says Supreme Court Decision Not to Take Up Challenge to Chicago Suburb’s Assault Weapons Ban Will Help Her Defend D.C.’s Assault Weapons Ban as Rand Paul Bill to Eliminate D.C. Gun Safety Laws Gets Placed on Senate Calendar

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said that the Supreme Court's refusal today to consider a challenge to a Chicago suburb's ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines will help her defend the District of Columbia's similar ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines, particularly in light of Senator Rand Paul's (R-KY) bill to eliminate D.C.'s gun safety laws today being placed on the Senate calendar, which can be scheduled for floor time at any time by the Majority Leader. Last week, Norton was able to work with her Senate Democratic allies, who resoundingly rejected Senator Paul's first attempt to overturn the District's gun laws as an amendment to the Republican budget reconciliation bill. Norton said she is working with her Democratic Senate allies to again defeat this latest assault on the District's right to self-government. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has previously upheld the District's ban on assault weapons and on large capacity magazines. The D.C. Council today sent a letter, signed by all 13 councilmembers, to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) opposing any further consideration of Paul's bill.

"The San Bernardino terrorist killings shows what lifting the city's ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines could do in the nation's capital," Norton said. "American citizens were sprayed with ammunition from guns used in the theater of war. So soon after the San Bernardino massacre, you would think Senator Paul would hesitate before introducing this extreme bill to overturn our city's gun laws. Our residents, high-ranking officials, and the 20 million annual visitors to the District deserve better."