[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 23 (Thursday, February 27, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E346-E347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      WE MUST PROTECT OUR FREEDOMS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PHILIP M. CRANE

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 27, 1997

  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, continuing a tradition begun in the 98th 
Congress, today I once again introduce legislation which reaffirms the 
commitment of this body to protect the second amendment to the 
Constitution.
  The Founding Fathers recognized the right of men to defend 
themselves, and guaranteed Americans that this right would be preserved 
by the second amendment. At the time of our Nation's founding, 
guaranteeing this right was an idea foreign to the monarchies that 
ruled most of the world. James Madison noted this when he wrote that 
the right to keep and bear arms was an advantage which Americans 
possess over the people of almost every other nation.
  The 104th Congress did not bring the type of assault on the second 
amendment as we saw in the 103d Congress. However, unfortunately, the 
104th Congress was unable to reverse or repeal some of the more 
egregious errors made in this area by past Congresses. Indeed, only the 
House succeeded in passing legislation to repeal one such law, the so-
called Federal assault weapon ban.
  Gun control laws have never worked to reduce crime in America. 
Washington, DC, has

[[Page E347]]

some of the most restrictive gun control laws in America, yet leads the 
Nation in per capita murders. My own State of Illinois has some very 
tough standards before its citizens can legally possess firearms, yet 
since those laws went into effect, the crime and murder rates have 
dramatically increased.
  I find it necessary, therefore, to remind my colleagues that our 
Nation's crime problems cannot be solved by infringing upon the rights 
of peaceful law-abiding Americans to own arms. Instead of an attack on 
guns, our laws should focus on keeping behind bars the small percentage 
of criminals who are responsible for committing the vast majority of 
crimes in the United States. Law abiding gun owners are not a threat to 
peace in America, rather criminals threaten the peace and security of 
our families.
  We must demonstrate to Americans that we are resolved to protecting 
this right by supporting this resolution to reaffirm the second 
amendment and the right of individuals to keep and bear arms, and I 
urge my colleagues to join as cosponsors of this resolution.

                          ____________________