Assault Weapons Ban: Was Feinstein's Ban Cut From Democrat Gun Bill?

The assault weapons ban proposed by Senate Democrats, chiefly California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, has been cut from the Senate's gun control bill. In a surprise decision by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., the ban on assault weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines will now only be able to be offered as an amendment to the bill itself. Popular opinion thus far is dictating that as an auxiliary to the main bill, the amendment is a long shot.

Mother Jones reports that though the assault weapons ban is no longer part of the gun control bill, there are a number of initiatives attached to the bill that will create drastic changes in the law. Improved school safety and stricter penalties on straw purchasers and gun trafficking will remain components of the legislation.

On his radio program Tuesday, Rush Limbaugh cited Feinstein's response to her legislation being tossed: "I tried my best, but ... my best was not good enough."

This major event may give the bill new life if the Democrat-controlled Senate passes the bill and sends it to the Republican-controlled House. Many, including Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, have been critical of such a broad ban being instituted. Cruz compared Feinstein's legislation to a limitation of First Amendment rights in regards to censorship, which prompted a terse response from the California Democrat: "I'm not a sixth grader, Senator ... It's fine you want to lecture me on the Constitution. I appreciate it. Just know I've been here a long time." She was the author of a similar ban in 1994, which was allowed to expire a decade later.

Some point out that Feinstein's recent support of such sweeping legislation is antithetical to publicized positions she held in the past, though the subject does not garner much current media attention. In 2012, Constitutional lawyer and commentator Mark Levin offered an undated audio clip of Feinstein seemingly taking a reverse approach to gun violence.

"Less than 20 years ago, I was the target of a terrorist group ... I know the urge to arm yourself ... I was trained in firearms ... I carried a concealed weapon ... If somebody was going to try to take me out, I'm going to take them with me."

The clip likely refers to the late 1970s when Feinstein was a target of violence because of her role on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Nonetheless, since the 1994 ban was instituted, Feinstein has been unwavering in her support of such a ban, and has also spoken out in the past for victim's rights, including co-authoring the Crime Victim Rights Act in 2004 with conservative counterpart former Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.

While Feinstein's assault weapons ban has been stripped from the Senate bill, Republicans have not said as of yet whether they will support the lighter gun control bill.