Blumenthal, Murphy, & Colleagues Introduce Bill to Raise Minimum Age to Buy Assault Weapons

[HARTFORD, CT] – On the seventh anniversary of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) joined their colleagues in announcing legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines from 18 to 21, the same age requirement that already applies to purchasing handguns from federally licensed dealers. Individuals under 21 have used assault weapons in some of the most devastating school shootings in U.S. history, including the mass shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

Gun violence is a national crisis, claiming over 46,000 lives in 2023 — the third-largest number of gun-related deaths in American history. Assault weapons, originally engineered for military combat to maximize damage, are frequently used in mass shootings because of their ability to inflict catastrophic harm in mere seconds. More than 85 percent of deaths in public mass shootings involving four or more fatalities were caused by assault rifles. Furthermore, shootings involving assault weapons or large-capacity magazines result in more than 2.5 times as many people being shot compared to incidents involving other firearms.

“Too many innocent lives lost, too many individuals facing relentless grief—we must take action to stop the epidemic of gun violence plaguing our nation. By raising the minimum age requirement for purchasing assault weapons, the Age 21 Act keeps guns out of the hands of young people, combatting gun violence hurting our communities. This legislation takes meaningful action to prevent senseless, unnecessary tragedies,” said Blumenthal.

“From Uvalde to Parkland, it’s just a fact the profile of these shooters are often teenagers who were able to legally get their hands on a deadly weapon like an AR-15. A majority of Americans support raising the age to purchase assault weapons or handguns to 21. Congress should do it,” said Murphy.

The bill’s restrictions on the sale of assault weapons, handguns, large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, and related ammunition to individuals under the age of 21 would apply to both federally licensed and private sellers. Additionally, the legislation would bar most individuals under 21 from possessing these items, with limited exceptions for specific circumstances such as service in law enforcement or the armed forces.

The Age 21 Act is led by U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and cosponsored by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The Age 21 Act is endorsed by organizations including Brady: United Against Gun Violence, March for Our Lives, Giffords, Newtown Action Alliance, and Everytown for Gun Safety.

Blumenthal and Murphy are strong advocates for commonsense, life-saving gun safety reforms. In June 2022, the Senators voted to pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant gun safety legislation in almost 30 years. The senators have also introduced Ethan’s Law, which would require gun owners to safely and securely store their firearms, in honor of Ethan Song, a teenager from Guilford, Connecticut who was tragically killed in 2018 by an unsecured gun in a neighbor’s home. Last year, the senators cosponsored bicameral legislation to prevent the federal government from contracting with federally licensed firearms dealers that have a documented history of selling a disproportionate number of guns that end up being used to commit violent crimes. In 2023, the Senators joined their Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Keep Americans Safe Act, renewing efforts to ban the importation, sale, manufacturing, transfer, or possession of gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The senators also cosponsored the Protecting Kids from Gun Marketing Act, which would direct the Federal Trade Commission to prescribe rules that prohibit the marketing of firearms to children.

A one-pager on the bill is available here.

Full text of the bill is available here.

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