US: Despite widespread public and police support, a law banning the sale of automatic weapons will lapse on Monday, meaning that Uzis and AK47s may be sold openly in the US for the first time in 10 years.
President Bush said he would be willing to renew the ban but did not appeal to the Republican- dominated Congress to submit new legislation.
"If the President asked me, it'd still be no," said House majority leader Mr Tom DeLay, "because we don't have the votes to pass an assault weapons ban and it will expire Monday and that's that."
"I think the will of the American people is consistent with letting it expire, so it will expire," said Senate majority leader Mr Bill Frist.
The law was first signed by President Bill Clinton in 1994 and banned 19 types of military-style assault weapons. It also outlaws magazines holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
Federal statistics show that crimes involving assault weapons fell by two-thirds after the law came into effect. Chiefs of police from Washington, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Seattle have predicted an increase in violent gun crimes if the ban expires.
"Our streets, our homes, our citizens and our police officers will face great danger unless the federal ban on assault weapons is renewed," said Mr Charles Ramsey, Washington police chief.
A full page advertisement in the New York Times yesterday from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan and Clinton supported an assault weapons ban and that Mr Bush "is blocking its renewal". The title of the group refers to Mr James Brady, a White House aide who was shot and injured in an assassination attempt on Mr Reagan. Mr Brady supports gun control.
In March the Senate voted to add the ban to a bill that would have protected gun manufacturers from liability claims arising from gun crimes, but under pressure from the National Rifle Association, it voted 90-8 against the final bill.