[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 61 (Monday, April 3, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E757]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             IN SUPPORT OF FEDERAL GUN CONTROL LEGISLATION

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                           HON. NANCY PELOSI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 3, 1995
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, March 30 was the 14th anniversary of the 
assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan and the wounding of 
his press secretary, Jim Brady. To commemorate that date, 82 national 
organizations, representing more than 88 million members, joined 
together in a campaign to protect sane gun laws.
  Mr. Speaker, we commemorate this anniversary because the extreme 
Republican majority has vowed to overturn the Federal firearms laws 
that we have enacted, including the Brady law, the assault weapons ban, 
and other firearms provisions of last year's crime bill.
  These laws have begun to make America safer. A poll conducted by the 
International Association of Chiefs of Police and Handgun Control, Inc. 
on the effectiveness of the Brady law found that background checks in 
115 State and local jurisdictions stopped 19,000 felons and other 
prohibited persons from obtaining handguns.
  The American people also continue to show strong support for gun 
control legislation. A 1993 Time/CNN poll showed that 92 percent of 
Americans supported the Brady law.
  Mr. Speaker, this Republican attack on our gun laws is senseless. 
Letting more criminals buy guns will not reduce gun violence and 
putting more guns on the streets of America will not make our streets 
safer.
  Let us not weaken the gun control legislation that has begun to make 
our country a safer one.
  I urge my colleagues to work against Republican attempts to undo the 
laws that have already reduced gun violence and saved lives.


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