[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 40 (Thursday, April 14, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 14, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
   SUPPORT URGED FOR LEGISLATION TO BAN SEMIAUTOMATIC ASSAULT WEAPONS

  (Mr. CARDIN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. Speaker, during the last few weeks, I held a number 
of community forums. During these forums, I had the opportunity to meet 
with many of my constituents and discuss, in detail, the provisions of, 
and amendments to, the House of Representatives' omnibus crime bill.
  Based on these meetings, I rise in support of H.R. 3527, the ban on 
semiautomatic assault weapons. Although this amendment sparked much 
discussion, I am convinced that the majority of my constituents support 
this ban.
  In 1986, of the guns traced to crimes, 5.5 percent were assault guns. 
In 1989, that number nearly doubled--of the guns traced to crimes, 10.5 
percent were assault guns. In 1993, although assault weapons were only 
one-half percent of all privately owned American guns, they accounted 
for 9.7 percent of guns traced to crimes.
  It is time to stop the criminal use of these weapons. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3527, the ban on semiautomatic 
assault weapons.

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