{Washington , D.C. }…Gun
control was a hot topic in the early 1990s, when Congress enacted a 10-year ban
on assault weapons, but since that ban expired in 2004, few Americans have
wanted stricter laws and some politicians say they don't want to become targets
of a powerful gun-rights lobby. Gun-rights advocates say that needs to
change. Democrats say meaningful action should be taken to include a ban on
military-style assault weapons and to look at how the nation deals with
individuals suffering from serious mental illness.