[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 40 (Thursday, March 21, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H2564]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               VOTE AGAINST REPEAL OF ASSAULT WEAPON BAN

  (Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, the Bible says, by your deeds ye shall 
know them. Now last week by amendment, the Republicans gutted the 
terrorism bill. Many people asked why did they take out the guts of 
that bill? By their own words, from the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
Hyde], we know the answer: Because Members on the Republican side trust 
Hamas more than they trust their own Government.
  They were afraid that, if we put the power in the hands of the 
Government to deal with terrorism, we might turn our eyes away from the 
Middle East and come to look at some of the organizations in this 
country. People on this floor have forgotten Oklahoma City. People have 
forgotten what has happened.
  Madam Speaker, we cannot allow our Government to be powerless in the 
face of terrorist organizations wherever they come from. Now, tomorrow 
we are going to add insult to injury. The police officers of this 
country want the assault weapon ban kept in place. But the Republicans, 
led by the Speaker, are going to bring out a repeal of that ban to this 
floor to put those guns on the street again.
  I urge my colleagues to vote against that bill.

                          ____________________