House to vote on assault weapons ban

The House is voting Friday on banning semiautomatic assault weapons, as negotiations over police funding legislation continue. 

Some Democrats were hoping to vote on both the assault weapons ban and on police funding legislation Friday, the final day the House is in session before the August recess, as the midterm elections approach this fall. Progressives, who are hoping for more accountability measures to be attached to police funding, say they haven't reached an agreement yet. 

"House Democrats are committed to building safer communities, in every corner of the country," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a letter to the Democratic caucus Friday. "To that end, our members have been working on a robust package of public safety bills and have made immense progress in our discussions. Work continues on this essential legislation, and we plan to bring this legislation to the floor — increasing safety with accountability."