Lawmakers seek to stop sales to the public of ammunition made at U.S. Army plant
Democratic lawmakers introduced federal legislation Thursday that would ban defense contractors and government-owned plants from selling high-caliber ammunition to civilians.
Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Andy Kim (D-Calif.), and Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) co-sponsored the bill, which would also prevent the Pentagon’s contractors from selling assault weapons to the public.
The action follows an investigation by ICIJ and the New York Times that revealed that .50-caliber ammunition made at a facility owned by the U.S. Army has been trafficked to cartels who used it to wage war against the Mexican government.
“Americans’ tax dollars should not be used to fuel gun violence,” Warren said in a statement. “Congress must step in to keep Americans safe, and that means stopping the U.S. military and giant defense contractors from selling weapons of war to cartels, criminal groups, and mass shooters that terrorize our communities.”
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