Every day, we hear news of another mass shooting, another life lost, another community shattered. The common denominator? Assault weapons. These firearms have no place in our neighborhoods. Congress must take action and ban assault weapons.

The assailant in the recent mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, that left 18 people dead, used an assault rifle--and reignited the urgent need for action.

Assault weapons are disproportionately used in crimes involving multiple victims and police officers. Shooters used assault rifles in mass shootings at Sandy Hook in 2012, at an Orlando nightclub in 2016, a Vegas concert in 2017, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, Uvalde, TX, in 2022, and Lewiston in 2023. With easy access to military-style semi-automatic assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, too many individuals have filled our schools, malls, concerts, movie theaters, places of worship, stores, highways, parades, and other public spaces with terror, devastation, and terrible loss.

These are not just numbers; they are lives lost and communities torn apart.

Banning assault weapons saves lives. The 1994 federal assault weapons ban reduced the risk of a person in the U.S. dying from a mass shooting by 70%. Both the number of deaths and the number of annual incidents decreased significantly. Congress failed to extend the assault weapons ban beyond 2004.

An assault weapons ban is a proven solution that can work again.

Recent polls show that a majority of voters support banning assault weapons. Even politicians once opposed to such measures are changing their stance. Maine Congressman Jared Golden recently dropped his opposition to an assault weapons ban, apologizing to his community for his lack of action on this issue. As the number of mass shootings rises, leaders should be held accountable for inaction.

Thoughts and prayers are not enough. Too many Americans are senselessly gunned down in public spaces in towns and cities across the nation. Americans deserve a strong response from the federal government.

Sign the petition: Ban assault weapons!