A decade-old law that banned 19 types of assault-style weapons expired Monday and Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley predicts we’ll see little-to-no impact from the semi-automatic weapons again being made available. Grassley, a republican, says “not really much was banned” in the 1994 crime-fighting bill. Grassley says “It was passed at a time when there was a hysteria over gun control doing some good and the bottom line of it is that the ban is not needed now and probably is a violation of the Second Amendment.” The weapons that -were- banned include several notorious guns like the A-K-47, Uzi and Tec-9. Grassley says they are not machine guns that continue to fire with a single squeeze of the trigger — these only fire one bullet each time the trigger is pulled. Grassley says “It reaches a point where a ridiculous interpretation of the old law might prevent the use of guns that are used in hunting.” Gun control advocates are against the law “sunsetting” or dissolving, while several law enforcement organizations have spoken out against the semi-automatic weapons again becoming available. Grassley says that’s a natural reaction.”I think if you were a policeman you’d just as soon have a society without any guns because your job would be easier.”

Radio Iowa