Since 1970, more Americans have died from guns – 1.5 million – than Americans who died in all the wars – 1.2 million — according to published reports.
Three members of Maine’s congressional delegation, U.S. Sen. Angus King and U.S. Reps. Bruce Poliquin and Chellie Pingree, favor a ban on bump stocks, devices allow semi-automatic weapons to fire faster.
Pingree, said a ban outlawing bump stocks isn’t enough.
U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine:
Maybe. Collins’ spokeswoman Annie Clark released a statement Monday saying Collins “is concerned about accessories like bump-fire stock devices that are able to turn semi-automatic rifles into what are essentially machine guns. She believes that use of these accessories warrants further examination.”
Is the ban enough? Collins’ office did not comment.
U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine
Yes. Maine has a proud history of responsible gun ownership, King said in a statement. “But what happened in Las Vegas wasn’t about hunting or protection – it was senseless and tragic – and what’s worse is that it was not an isolated event. While we can’t legislate our way out of all gun violence, I am encouraged there are bipartisan voices talking about curbing the use of bump stocks. If we can’t buy a fully automatic weapon without a special license, it seems sensible to me that a device modifying semi-automatics so that they have the same effect should be restricted as well.” The bump stock “allowed this guy to shoot 600, 700 rounds a minute rather than 60 and have to stop and reload,” King said in a CNN interview. “So it was an integral part of this tragedy, and it was legalized seven years ago. It shouldn’t have been.
Is a ban enough? King’s office did not comment.
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, 1st District.
Yes. Pingree tweeted that she’s proud to co-sponsor David Cicilline’s bill to ban bump stocks on semi-automatic rifles, that “it’s time to end gun violence.”
Is a ban enough? No. Pingree said common-sense gun laws are needed. “The heartbreak in Las Vegas reverberates in our communities and leaves us wondering how we could allow this happen once again,” she said in a statement on her webpage. “The 58 dead and more than 500 injured deserve more than our sympathies and sentiments. They deserve to know their lives and losses prevented another tragedy. … Four out of five Americans support universal background checks, so why won’t Congress listen?”
U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, R-Maine, 2nd District
“Yes, the Congressman believes it’s important to make sure that the ‘bump stock’ modification, which changes a legal firearm to operate similarly to an illegal one, is more closely regulated, either through changes in regulation by the federal government or by new legislation,” said his spokesman Brendan Conley in a written statement Monday. As to any specific proposals, Poliquin would need to closely review any proposed bills, Conley said. Poliquin believes all regulations, federal, state or local, should be enforced.
Is a ban enough? Maybe. Poliquin is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, outdoor traditions, (and) Maine has a tradition of responsible gun ownership, Conley said. “The congressman does not believe these complex and nuanced issues have oversimplified, one-word solutions.”
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