CFA Survey Shows Majority of Gun Owners, General Public Strongly Support Renewing and Strengthening Assault Weapons Ban

2/23/2004

From: Naomi Seligman, 202-628-7772 ext. 126, for the Consumer Federation of America

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 -- A national public opinion poll for the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) finds an overwhelming majority of Americans support renewing and strengthening the ban on semi-automatic assault weapons in the U.S. Both gun owners and the general public overwhelmingly want President Bush to make a strong effort to persuade Congress to extend the ban, which is set to expire in six months if Congress fails to act.

The Senate may take up the ban as soon as tomorrow, Tuesday, February 24, 2004.

"With the Senate likely to take up the assault weapons ban this week, it is critical for Congress to recognize more than two- thirds of all respondents to today's Consumer Federation of America survey and a solid majority of gun owners favor renewing and strengthening the assault weapons ban," Susan Peschin, firearms project director for CFA said today. "Support for strengthening the ban is even greater than simply renewing the ban. This support has grown across the board since we conducted a similar study six months ago."

The survey was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation International. ORCI interviewed a representative sample of more than 1,000 adult Americans from February 18 to 22, 2004. The survey's margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points.

Among the key findings of the CFA Assault Weapons Ban survey are the following:

Support Renewal of the Assault Weapons Ban -- All respondents 76 percent, Gun Owners 57 percent

Support Closing the Loopholes that Allow:

-- Modified weapons to evade the ban -- All 65 percent, Gun Owners 51 percent;

-- Pre-1994 weapons to be sold without background checks -- All 87 percent, Gun Owners 79 percent;

-- Conversion parts kits -- All 85 percent; Gun Owners 73 percent;

-- Juveniles from owning assault weapons -- All Respondents 85 percent, Gun Owners 80 percent.

"In this election year, it is important to note that three- quarters of all respondents want President Bush to make an effort to persuade Congress to renew the ban. Two-thirds of gun owners want him to make the effort. The American public is calling on President Bush to keep these weapons off of America's streets and neighborhoods. We sincerely hope he heeds their concerns." Peschin said.

"The failure of Congress to bring the assault weapons ban up for a vote would not sit well with the American people -- 46 percent say it would make them think worse of Congress, compared to just 11 percent who say it would make then think better of Congress."

Please contact Naomi Seligman at 202.628.7772 ext 126 or Kelly Cox at ext. 127 for a copy of the study or visit http://www.consumerfed.org.