18-year-old, walk in, a 20-year-old, and buy an ar-15. that s why back in 1994, i took on the nra and passed the assault weapons ban. for ten years, mass shootings were down. ten years in a row since i passed that legislation in 1994 as a senator. but in 2004, republicans let that ban expire. what happened? mass shootings in america tripled. tripled. it s time to ban these. it s time to ban these weapons. we did it before. we can do it again. [ applause ] time to hold every elected official s feet to the fire and ask them are you for banning assault weapons, yes or no? ask them. if the answer is no, vote against them. look, i m proud that after seven years, we finally have a senate confirmed director of alcohol, tobacco, and firearms responsible for any gun crimes. for seven years, the other team would not let us appoint anyone to that job. incredibly important job, to help local law enforcement, federal law enforcement. identify the ballistics. a whole range of things. for s
crime prevention programs that help keep young people from getting in trouble in the first place. under my plan, communities can provide after school and summer job programs. they can get paid for it. more access to mental health and drug counseling. more social workers and housing to keep people off the streets instead of when they get out of jail, they get $25 and a bus ticket and end up under the same bridge that they re under before. this will help prevent crime, get young people to pick up paychecks instead of a pistol. the same time, we need to help people getting out of prison successfully re-enter society so they don t get in trouble again. if you served your time, you shouldn t be deprived of being able to if you served it, you shont be deprived of being able to get a pell grant to go to