WASHINGTON: A committee of the US House of Representatives is set to vote next week for the first time in nearly 20 years on a bill that would ban assault weapons.

“Our country has witnessed senseless killing after senseless killing and each time one fact has remained remarkably consistent — the weapon of choice for mass slaughter is a high-powered assault weapon,” Jerold Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a statement.

The Democrat from New York said the bill, which would ban the sale, import, manufacture or transfer of certain semi-automatic weapons, would be considered by the committee on Wednesday.

If the “Assault Weapons Ban of 2021” passes the Democratic-controlled committee it would go to the full House, where Democrats are in the majority.

It would be likely doomed to fail in the Senate, however.

Democrats have 50 seats in the 100-member Senate and 10 Republican votes would be needed to bring the measure to the floor.

Nadler said it is “beyond frightening and disturbing that a weapon that was designed as a tool of war has found its way into the hands of 18 year olds and onto our streets.”

An 18-year-old in Texas killed 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24 using a semi-automatic rifle he purchased legally.