With the March 27 school shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, TN, America suffered its 129th mass shooting of 2023. A shooter carrying assault-style rifles fatally shot three students and three teachers.

This senseless act could have been prevented with an assault weapon ban.

Banning assault weapons saves lives. The 1994 federal assault weapons ban, which lasted until 2004, 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.

The positive effect of banning assault weapons is especially evident when you compare the number of mass shootings in the U.S. to our peer nations. Not only is the U.S. at the top of the list, but we have about 4 times more mass shootings than the number two nation on that list, Russia.

Time and time again, assault weapons are used in the deadliest mass shootings in America. Between 2009 and 2018, assault weapons accounted for 25% of death and 76% of nonfatal injuries in mass shootings. They are uniquely lethal, allowing the most murders in the shortest amount of time. They are weapons of war and have no place in our homes.

Congress must act responsibly and enact a federal assault weapons ban. If they fail to act, state legislatures must step in with a ban in their states. Washington and Illinois have already initiated such measures. Other states must follow suit.

Sign the petition to Congress: Pass an assault weapons ban NOW!