STATEMENT: Gottheimer: Third Circuit Ruling on Assault Weapons is a Dangerous Step Backward for Public Safety

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Monday, July 20, 2026, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) released the following statement:

“Friday’s ruling from the Third Circuit is a significant setback for gun safety in New Jersey and across the country. The Circuit Court overturned our state’s ban on extended or high-capacity magazines and AR-15s. These are weapons of war designed for the battlefield, not our streets. There’s no need for military-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. 

This should be settled law. Americans want background checks, they want people who carry to be trained, and they don’t want machine guns on their streets. We will do everything we can in the halls of Congress and in the courts to fight back and protect our Jersey families.”

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