[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 16 (Wednesday, February 23, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      SUPPORT THE SAFE SCHOOLS ACT

  (Mr. HOAGLAND asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HOAGLAND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Safe 
Schools Act to provide grants to schools to establish programs to 
prevent violence in our schools. It encourages the various agencies and 
groups involved in crime and education to work together to put our 
children's interest first.
   Children in Omaha and across this country should be learning in 
school, not worrying that they could be injured or killed by another 
child carrying a weapon.
  Youth violence is becoming a reality in many cities--big and small. 
This past fall in Omaha, there were several incidents where children 
were caught with guns at school. One incident in particular underscores 
the pervasive availability of handguns in our society. A 7-year-old boy 
brought a loaded .25 caliber handgun to one of our elementary schools.
  We cannot allow youth violence to become the rule rather than the 
exception in our schools. I am working hard to get handguns out of the 
hands of our children. I have introduced legislation to make it illegal 
under Federal law for anyone under the age of 18 to possess a handgun 
or ammunition. It would also prohibit the sale of a handgun or 
ammunition to or by a minor.
  The fear of violence in our schools is real. I have received a number 
of letters from students in our Omaha schools who are concerned about 
the rising level of youth violence around the country. One junior high 
school student writes:

       Why should I be afraid to get on a school bus? Why should I 
     be afraid to go to my locker? Why should I be afraid to go to 
     the mall? The answer, Mister Hoagland, is I should not have 
     to be afraid to be a child.

  When kids do not feel safe at school they are not learning at their 
full potential. Another Omaha junior high school student writes:

       Having entered my teen years recently, I have noticed a 
     disturbing fact, that youth violence is growing bigger than 
     ever . . . If we can prevent these disturbances from 
     happening we could make a very big difference with grades, 
     and the ability to do things. When a student has the ability 
     and the belief that he/she could make a difference . . . 
     that's when the changes occur . . . The violence that is on 
     our streets and in our homes would suddenly die away.

  We need to get guns off of our streets and keep them out of our 
schools. Violence has no place in our classrooms. The Safe Schools Act 
is a step toward making our schools safer.

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