[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 29 (Tuesday, March 17, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H1170-H1171]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           AGREEMENTS BETWEEN TELEVISION STATIONS AND POLICE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 21, 1997, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, Tuesday, January 27, people in my 
hometown of Portland, Oregon, were stunned by a series of events that 
stem from a drug raid gone bad. In the midst of this episode, one 
Portland policewoman was killed, another seriously injured, and a third 
received more minor injuries.
  Reflecting back on this episode, Mr. Speaker, there were two areas 
that gave great local concern.
  One was an activity involved with the coverage, the live coverage of 
this event by local news helicopters on the raid and the concern on the 
part of some that this might have interfered with the police activities 
at that event, both in terms of providing interference, in terms of 
communication with the noise that was involved, the police direct 
communication, one with another, and the potential that it was possible 
for the gunman in this case to have used live television broadcasts to 
be able to monitor the events at the scene.
  There was another area of great concern, and that was simply the 
firepower of this gunman. To say the least, it was disturbing that his 
private arsenal included a grenade launcher and numerous grenades, a 
crossbow with darts, a small arsenal of shotguns, rifles, handguns, 
hundreds of rounds of ammunition, including 100-round capacity magazine 
with 80 rounds inside.
  That weapon actually used in the shooting was an SKS semiautomatic 
assault weapon. This weapon was powerful enough that the fatal bullet 
was fired through the front door, that it was possible that there were 
other bullets that went through the walls of the house and through both 
sides of police car parked outside.
  The weapon in question was not on the 1994 Crime Control Bill of 
banned assault weapons, although that bill did prohibit the manufacture 
of ammunition and magazines of more than 10 rounds. However, high-
capacity ammunition magazines manufactured prior to September of 1994 
were exempted, with the expectation that the manufacturers would sell 
off the stockpiles within a few years.
  Unfortunately, that 1994 ban allowed manufacturers to stockpile a 
seemingly unlimited supply of high-capacity ammunition magazines which 
are still being sold regularly today by manufacturers, wholesalers, and 
retailers, 3 years after that ban went into effect.
  This is noteworthy because, although assault weapons account for a 
tiny fraction of the guns in private hands, they were used in over 13 
percent of the 122 fatal law enforcement shootings that took place in a 
21-month period in 1994 and 1995. Of those deaths, almost 20 percent 
involved high-capacity magazines.
  When faced with tragedy of this nature as we faced in Portland, it is 
important to reflect on what we learn from these circumstances. That is 
the true story today. The positive changes were a result of reflection 
on this episode.
  I am pleased that the local authorities and the news media came 
together to deal with an area of friction in the past to establish a 
voluntary agreement to be used in emergency situations in the future. 
This agreement will ensure a safe environment for our police, while 
guaranteeing that the public has an access to information.
  The stations will no longer show live shots of special emergency 
reaction teams. They will keep helicopters a mile away and at least 
1,000 feet in elevation to prevent disturbance with emergency police 
communication.
  The police will provide a location as close as possible to the 
emergency

[[Page H1171]]

event for a TV pool camera on the ground and to videotape the operation 
for later broadcast. The police in the communications activities with 
the stations have set up a special phone to give a direct link to the 
four local news stations.
  This senseless killing served as a wake-up call for Portland. I think 
the model agreement that we have developed can serve as a model for 
other communities in the future.
  I would ask my colleagues to reflect upon the situation that they may 
see in their community. Are there appropriate agreements in place 
between the news media and law enforcement in their hometowns?
  It is clearly not Congress' role to have to legislate news coverage. 
It is, however, our role to do everything in our power to make sure 
that this never happens again. Congress does have a role in dealing 
with the trade, distribution of and availability of dangerous weapons; 
and I hope we will readdress this in the future.
  I encourage my colleagues to learn from this Portland tragedy. To do 
so would mean that the sacrifice of Portland's finest will not have 
been in vain.

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