[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 24, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S7400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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 U.S. CONFERENCE OF MAYORS' COMMITMENT TO MAINTAINING GUN CONTROL LAWS

 Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, I would like to commend the U.S. 
Conference of Mayors for their May 16 letter restating their commitment 
to maintaining the Nation's gun control laws. I share their opposition 
to any efforts to weaken current laws, and I am particularly pleased 
with their restated commitment to the assault weapons ban.
  Some people have called for the repeal of the assault weapons ban, 
even before it has an opportunity to demonstrate its effectiveness. 
These are the same people who argued that these weapons, which law 
enforcement officials have testified serve no purpose other than to 
kill as many human beings as quickly as possible, are legitimate 
products with a specially protected status in our society. I disagree 
with this conclusion.
  In the aftermath of the tragic bombing in Oklahoma City, the push to 
repeal the ban has temporarily eased. When exposed to the scrutiny of 
the public eye, the absurdity of the effort to repeal the ban is 
exposed and the American public has had no trouble recognizing the 
inherent inconsistency of responding to terrorism by loosening common 
sense measures to stem the flow of weapons into our communities.
  I am pleased that the Senate will not be considering a repeal of the 
assault weapons ban, or any other gun control initiatives, in the short 
run. However, the efforts to repeal these measures need to be 
permanently removed from Congresses' agenda.
  Those who call for the repeal of gun control laws do not base their 
objections on substantive flaws with the measure, for when given an 
opportunity they have proven their worth. During its first year, the 
Brady law has made an impressive contribution to crime-fighting 
efforts. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) 
reported on the 1-year anniversary of the Brady laws, implementation 
that in 27 of the States which did not previously meet Brady's 
requirements, 19,098 prohibited people were denied from purchasing a 
firearm. And although there is no national reporting requirement, the 
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms estimates that background 
checks in the past year have stopped 70,000 convicted felons and other 
prohibited persons from purchasing weapons.
  In addition to fulfilling its primary aim: to stop felons from buying 
guns, the Brady law has assisted law enforcement officials in other 
ways. In Georgia, one sheriff reported that out of the 60 people denied 
weapons as a result of the Brady check in the first year, 15 had 
outstanding felony warrants and 15 arrests were made. Brady checks 
helped police in San Antonio, TX catch a suspected drug dealer, and it 
also led to the arrest of a man in South Carolina who was wanted for 
assaulting a police officer in Florida.
  The assault weapons ban should also be given an opportunity to 
demonstrate its effectiveness.
  The only way to resist the push to repeal these important laws is for 
the public to join this debate and make its views known. The U.S. 
conference of Mayors has once again joined the chorus of voices 
supporting our Nation's gun control laws, and I greatly appreciate 
their participation in this important debate.


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