Congress·In Committee·S. 1531

Congress Proposes National Ban on Sales of Assault Weapons and Magazines Over 10 Rounds

Assault Weapons Ban of 2025

11 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Part of: Congress Introduces Bans on Assault Weapons and High-Capacity Magazines

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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

This bill would make it illegal to manufacture, sell, or import many types of semiautomatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns often called 'assault weapons.' It also bans the sale and manufacture of ammunition magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds.
If you already own one of these firearms or magazines before the law passes, you are allowed to keep it. However, you must store these weapons securely in a lockbox or with a safety device so that people who are not legally allowed to have guns cannot reach them.
If you want to sell or give your existing assault weapon to someone else, you would be required to go to a licensed gun dealer. The dealer must then run a background check on the person receiving the gun to make sure they are legally allowed to own it.
The ban does not apply to the military or law enforcement officers. It also includes a long list of over 2,000 specific types of firearms used for hunting or target shooting that are still legal to buy and sell.
The policy allows the government to give money to states and cities to run 'buy-back' programs. These programs offer people a way to voluntarily turn in their weapons or high-capacity magazines in exchange for a cash payment.

Gun PolicyCriminal Justice

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Apr 30, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Apr 30, 2025

Introduced in Senate

Related News

2 articles

Axios·10 months ago

Tuesday's politics & policy stories

The briefing highlights the press conference held by Senator Adam Schiff and Senator Chris Murphy to introduce the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025. The bill is part of a broader Democratic push for gun safety reform amidst a challenging legislative environment.

Courthouse News Service·11 months ago

First Circuit maintains Massachusetts assault weapons ban

As the First Circuit upheld a state-level ban on assault weapons, the ruling acknowledges the introduction of the federal Assault Weapons Ban of 2025. The article discusses the legal challenges such bans face under the Supreme Court's 'common use' standard from the Heller decision.