[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 69 (Thursday, May 22, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5013-S5014]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               THE GUN KINGPIN DEATH PENALTY ACT OF 1997

  Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. President, I rise today, on behalf of myself and 
the distinguished Senator from California, Senator Feinstein, to 
introduce the Gun Kingpin Death Penalty Act of 1997. I hope that our 
colleagues will soon join us in sending a clear and strong signal to 
our most violent gunrunners--your actions will no longer be tolerated.
  Mr. President, the fight against gun violence is a long-term, many-
staged process. We have already succeeded in enacting the Brady bill 
and the ban on devastating assault weapons. Last year, even in the 
midst of what many consider a hostile Congress, we told domestic 
violence offenders that they could no longer own a gun.
  And these laws have been effective: 186,000 prohibited individuals 
have already been denied a handgun due to Brady background checks--70 
percent of these people were convicted or indicted felons. Traces of 
assault weapons have plummeted since the ban, and prices have gone up. 
And our law enforcement officers are no longer dying at the hands of 
criminals armed with assault weapons.
  As I said, we have been successful. But we cannot be satisfied with 
victories in battle--we must use every avenue possible to win the war 
against gun violence.
  Mr. President, it is for this reason that I rose just a few weeks ago 
with Senator Durbin to introduce a new prosecutorial tool in the fight 
to stop gun traffickers--the Gun Kingpin Penalty Act of 1997. That bill 
would institute a sliding scale of mandatory minimum penalties for the 
worst gunrunners, and I hope we can debate it soon.
  But we must also address the problem of the most violent and 
dangerous offenders--those who commit murder in furtherance of their 
gun trafficking crimes. So I rise again today to issue a new 
challenge--send a message to murderous gunrunners that their violence 
must stop.
  Our Gun Kingpin Death Penalty Act of 1997, which is modeled after the 
Drug Kingpin Death Penalty legislation already enacted into law, 
provides that any criminal who commits murder or successfully orders a 
murder committed during the course of trafficking in more than 25 
firearms may receive life in prison or the death penalty. This 
provision gives Federal prosecutors one more tool in the fight against 
gun trafficking, and sends out a warning to all violent gunrunners--
think twice before you act.
  Mr. President, when I rose with Senator Durbin last month to 
introduce the first in this two-bill attack on gunrunners, I cited 
recent numbers gathered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 
which clearly demonstrate what many of us already knew all too well--
several key highways in this country have become so-called firearm 
freeways--pipelines for merchants of death who deal in illegal 
firearms.
  We learned from the ATF data that in 1996, New Jersey exported fewer 
guns used in crimes, per capita, than any other State--less than one 
gun per 100,000 residents, or 75 total guns. In contrast, Mississippi 
exported 29 of these guns per capita last year.
  Meanwhile, an incredible number of guns used to commit crimes in New 
Jersey last year came from out-of-State--944 guns were imported and 
used to commit crimes compared to only 75 exported--a net import of 869 
illegal guns used to commit crimes against the people of New Jersey.
  In fact, the top six exporters of illegal guns used to commit crimes 
in New Jersey supplied 62 percent of the guns, 585, and only one of 
those six States--North Carolina--has strong gun control laws.
  This represents a one-way street--guns come from States with lax gun 
laws straight to States--like New Jersey--with strong laws.
  New Jersey has long been proud to have some of the toughest gun 
control laws in the Nation. But for far too long, the courageous 
efforts of New Jersey citizens in enacting these tough laws have been 
weakened by out-of-State gunrunners who treat our State like their own 
personal retail outlet.
  It is clear that New Jersey's strong gun control laws offer criminals 
little choice but to import their guns from States with weak laws. We 
must act on a Federal level to send a clear message that this cannot 
continue and will not be tolerated. And we must send an equally clear 
message that gunrunners who commit murder risk the ultimate of 
penalties.
  Finally, Mr. President, I remind my colleagues that we cannot rest 
satisfied simply because we have succeeded in the past. The problem of 
illegal gun traffickers will not just go away, and we cannot stand by 
and watch as innocent men, women, and children die at

[[Page S5014]]

the hands of criminals armed with these guns. I urge my colleagues to 
support this bill. I ask that the bill be printed in the record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 796

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Gun Kingpin Death Penalty 
     Act of 1997''.

     SEC. 2. DEATH PENALTY FOR CERTAIN FIREARMS TRAFFICKING 
                   VIOLATIONS.

       Section 924 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(p) In addition to any other penalties set forth in this 
     title, any person engaging in an offense under paragraph 
     (1)(A) or (3) of section 922(a) that involves 25 or more 
     firearms, who intentionally kills or counsels, commands, 
     induces, procures, or causes the intentional killing of an 
     individual, and such killing results, shall be sentenced--
       ``(1) to a term of imprisonment of not less than 20 years 
     and up to life imprisonment; or
       ``(2) to death.''.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. CHAFEE (for himself, Mr. Baucus and Mr. Kennedy):
  S. 797. A bill to amend the John F. Kennedy Center Act to authorize 
the design and construction of additions to the parking garage and 
certain site improvements, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Environment and Public Works.


       THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER PARKING IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 1997

  Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, today I introduce legislation to help 
resolve the most serious problem identified by patrons and visitors of 
the Kennedy Center--the lack of adequate on-site parking. Joining me 
today as original cosponsors are: Senators Baucus and Kennedy.
  This legislation provides authority to the Kennedy Center Board of 
Trustees to construct an addition to the existing parking garage at 
each of the north and south ends of the Center. Importantly, Mr. 
President, the garage addition authorized in this bill will come at a 
cost to the Federal Government. The project will be financed through 
the issuance of industrial revenue bonds which will be repaid entirely 
with revenue derived from operation of the expanded garage. Indeed, a 
provision included in the legislation explicitly prohibits the use of 
appropriated funds for the purpose of constructing or financing the 
parking garage expansion.
  Also included in the bill is authorization for the Center to take 
action on site modifications for the improvement of security on the 
site. The Center has conducted a complete security review, and among 
the recommendations are changes to the main approach and plaza. This 
legislation allows the Center to pursue site modifications for the 
protection of the building and its visitors.
  Consistent with the John F. Kennedy Center Act Amendments of 1994, 
the Center's plans for the garage expansion and other related site 
improvements will be developed in close consultation with the 
Department of Interior. In fact, the National Park Service sent a 
letter today to the president of the Kennedy Center, Mr. Lawrence J. 
Wilker, conveying its approval of the conceptual plan for this project.
  Mr. President, let me say that this proposal reflects the commitment 
of the Kennedy Center trustees to continually improve this Presidential 
monument for the benefit of the Public--in a manner that is financially 
responsible. And indeed, the Center is an operation run in a 
financially sound way.
  A little-known fact about the Kennedy Center is that 90 percent of 
the Center's annual operating income is derived from private sources. 
The Federal Government provides only 10 percent of the Center's annual 
operating income--and these Federal funds are carefully limited to 
nonperformance activities. This legislation maintains that impressive 
private-to-Federal funding ratio.
  I am proud to serve as a trustee of the Kennedy Center, and commend 
the board for its stewardship of this treasured asset--the national 
center for the performing arts and living memorial to the late 
President.
  In closing, Mr. President, I want to thank Senators Baucus and 
Kennedy for their help in drafting this bill. I look forward to working 
with them and other colleagues to secure timely adoption of the 
measure.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. WARNER:
  S. 798. A bill to establish a Commission on Information Technology 
Worker Shortage; to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources.


 THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WORKER SHORTAGE 
                       ESTABLISHMENT ACT OF 1997

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, the shortage of skilled workers is one of 
the most critical issues facing the U.S. information technology [IT] 
industry today. Our position as world leader in this industry is 
threatened--not by technology--but by a shortage of necessary labor.
  This issue is underscored by what we see in the want-ads every week: 
thousands of high-paying jobs unfilled, because there are not enough 
skilled applicants.
  There is a shortage of nearly 200,000 workers nationwide. The 
economic impact of this shortfall is being felt in every State and 
congressional district across America.
  Virginia, with its growing high-tech industry, is particularly hard 
hit--it is currently estimated that 18,000 jobs are currently unfilled. 
Technology-based businesses in Virginia number over 2,450, employ more 
than 290,000 workers, and contribute more than $13.8 billion in wages 
to the State's economy. At current rates of growth, by 2002 these 
numbers are expected to jump to over 4,000 companies, employing about 
330,000, with $22 billion in wages. The average technology sector 
worker in Virginia earned $45,288 in 1996, compared to an average wage 
of $26,608 in the Virginia economy as a whole. By 2002, the average 
technology sector wage could grow to over $63,000.
  By any measure, these are the jobs of the future. But unless our 
workforce is educated and trained properly, these jobs will remain 
unfilled or, worse yet, move to countries with the necessary qualified 
people. This 2-5-million-person industry is projected to nearly double 
in size by the year 2000. But its growth is being stunted by the 
inability of firms to hire the talent that they need to expand.
  Let me be clear: this problem is not confined to just high technology 
companies and it is not limited to one region of the country. It 
extends to any firm that depends on information technology employees to 
expand its markets, reach its customers, or improve its products.
  Education is a key component of the solution to this problem. 
However, schools are not graduating enough qualified individuals to 
meet the need. From 1986 to 1994, the number of bachelor degrees in 
computer science, for example, fell 43 percent from 42,195 to 24,200. 
As the Senate begins the reauthorization process for the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 and the formulation of job training legislation, 
I hope we will give particular emphasis to the impact that the shortage 
of skilled technology workers is having on the economy, and recognize 
the need to ensure that our work force is prepared for the next 
century.

  As cochair of the Senate Information Technology Caucus and a new 
member of the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, I want to 
bring this matter to the attention of the Congress and the public, to 
demonstrate the far-reaching implications this crisis will have on the 
IT industry and the American economy as a whole.
  We need to look at all options for addressing this problem. That is 
why I am introducing legislation establishing a National Commission on 
the Information Technology Worker Shortage. The Commission will be 
comprised of industry leaders, educators, and government officials who 
will study this issue and provide Congress with potential solutions. 
The Commission will draw on the brightest minds and the best ideas to 
craft the solutions necessary to encourage more students to enter 
technical fields, to ensure that teachers and schools are equipped to 
train them, and to incorporate the best private sector initiatives. The 
Commission will report concrete legislative and administrative 
recommendations to the President and to Congress within the year.
  Mr. President, the Commission will provide the national focus and 
attention that this problem demands. I hope my colleagues will join me 
in supporting this initiative.




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