Also appearing before the Senate panel was Neil Heslin, the father of six-year-old Newtown victim Jesse Lewis. Heslin made a tearful appeal for lawmakers to ban assault weapons.

Neil Heslin: “That’s a dangerous weapon, and anybody that can deny or argue that isn’t being honest. Jesse was six-and-a-half years old. His birthday was June 30th, 2006, he was born. It was the happiest day of my life. Saddest day of my life was December 14th. It was the worst day of my life.”