[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 69 (Thursday, May 16, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S5205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CALIFORNIA CITIES ACT TO BAN JUNK GUNS

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, last month I introduced legislation 
with Senators John Chafee and Bill Bradley to prohibit the manufacture 
and sale of junk guns--or as they are also called, Saturday night 
specials. We believe that these cheap, poorly constructed, easily 
concealable firearms pose such a great threat to public safety that 
their sale and manufacture should be prohibited.
  Nearly 20 years ago, Congress prohibited the importation of junk 
guns, but allowed their domestic manufacture to soar virtually 
unchecked. Today, 7 of the 10 firearms most frequently traced at crime 
scenes are junk guns that cannot legally be imported. My view is that 
if a gun represents such a threat to public safety that it should not 
be imported, its domestic manufacture should also be restricted. A 
firearm's point of origin is irrelevant.
  Earlier this year, the City of West Hollywood prohibited the sale of 
junk guns within the city limit. Shortly thereafter, I introduced my 
bill, which would ban junk guns nationwide. Since then, California 
cities have made progress that exceeded my expectations. Once again, 
California is at the leading edge of a nationwide movement.
  This week, the Oakland City Council, with the support of the mayor 
and the police chief, voted to ban the sale of junk guns. San Francisco 
is expected to follow shortly. And the city of San Jose is also 
considering enacting a junk gun ban. The police chiefs of these three 
cities have all endorsed my bill to ban junk guns nationwide.
  I am very proud that these California cities are acting responsibly 
to take these dangerous firearms off our streets. This momentum is 
growing into an unstoppable force. The current junk gun double standard 
cannot be maintained. It is simply a matter of time before Congress 
acts to apply the same standards to domestically produced junk guns are 
currently applied to imports.

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