[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 70 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 70

 Expressing the sense of the Congress that State and local governments 
 should be encouraged, and have the right, to pass laws and ordinances 
  designed to preserve and protect the safety and well-being of young 
                                people.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 1, 1997

    Mr. Vento (for himself, Mr. Martinez, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mr. 
     Lipinski, and Ms. Lofgren) submitted the following concurrent 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the Congress that State and local governments 
 should be encouraged, and have the right, to pass laws and ordinances 
  designed to preserve and protect the safety and well-being of young 
                                people.

Whereas the incidence of violent crime in the United States has increased 
        alarmingly in recent years, with young people facing the highest risk of 
        any group in the United States of nonfatal assault;
Whereas the future of communities in the United States, and the future of 
        society in general, is inextricably linked to the well-being of young 
        people;
Whereas the number of young people arrested for murder has increased 128 percent 
        during the past decade, and an estimated 60 percent of crimes reported 
        are being committed by young people between 10 and 20 years of age;
Whereas schools, churches, playgrounds, and community recreation facilities are 
        designed to function as safe places for young people to congregate;
Whereas facilities designed to offer young people alternatives to violence 
        should be free from the dangers posed by firearms and other weapons;
Whereas State and local governments are obligated to protect and preserve the 
        well-being and safety of their citizens, as such governments are best 
        able to respond to the unique safety needs of their communities;
Whereas the safety of young people is greatly enhanced by measures designed to 
        ban firearms and other weapons from public facilities;
Whereas State and local governments should not be impeded in their efforts to 
        control the escalating damages caused by firearms and other weapons in 
        their communities; and
Whereas certain special interest groups have actively sought to limit the 
        ability of State and local governments to respond to community safety 
        needs: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that State and local governments 
should be encouraged, and have the right, to respond to the needs of 
their communities by enacting laws and ordinances designed to preserve 
and protect the safety and well-being of young people, including laws 
and ordinances that seek to ban the possession of firearms and other 
weapons in public facilities by individuals other than police officers, 
security guards, and other individuals charged with the protection and 
security of such facilities.
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