As governor of Massachusetts, in 2004 Romney signed a measure permanently extending a statewide ban on military-style assault weapons, such as AK-47's and Uzi's. At the bill-signing ceremony Romney said, "Deadly assault weapons have no place in Massachusetts. ... These guns are not made for recreation or self-defense. They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people." Proponents of the state semi-automatic assault weapons ban had argued that its passage was necessary because a similar ban at the federal level was also expiring.