[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 52 (Wednesday, May 4, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
      VOTE FOR THE ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN ACT WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

  (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, for all the talk about the second 
amendment, you would think people would talk about the whole amendment. 
There are people who say it is wrong to take assault weapons out of the 
hands of the gangs and the druglords because ``the right of the people 
to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.'' But they forget that 
the amendment protects the right because ``A well regulated Militia'' 
is ``necessary to the security of a free State. * * *''
  Show me the well regulated militia carrying street sweepers. Show me 
the well regulated militia carrying AK-47'S and TEC 9's. There are 
none.
  When we speak of assault weapons, let us not forget who these guns 
are assaulting. When we talk about street sweepers, we are not talking 
about people who clean up the litter on our streets, but rater about a 
gun designed to litter the streets with bodies.
  Where are these guns? They are on the streets of our cities, 
murdering our children. Street thugs are not my idea of a well 
regulated militia, Mr. Speaker, and it is not yours either, you can 
vote for this bill with a clear conscience.

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