[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 77 (Wednesday, May 26, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H3613-H3614]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM GUN VIOLENCE

  (Mr. CROWLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, with horror we have watched a string of 
school shooting tragedies over the last 2 years: Littleton, Colorado; 
Springfield, Oregon; Fayetteville, Tennessee; Edinboro, Pennsylvania; 
Jonesboro, Arkansas; West Paducah, Kentucky; Pearl, Mississippi; and 
just last week in Conyers, Georgia.
  Thirteen children under the age of 19 are killed each and every day 
because of guns. Families are so afraid of school violence that 
children are kept home. This is a serious crisis and we need to act 
now. Our colleagues in the other body took action last week. The House 
can and should begin debate on how to reduce youth violence before this 
Memorial weekend break.
  Addressing the issue of school gun safety and media violence alone 
will not solve the problem. We need to address the broader issue of the 
quality of our children's education. A real solution must deal with the 
issues of class size, which is especially important in my District of 
Queens and the Bronx, but also of discipline, of safety officers and 
guidance counselors in our schools, both in pre- and after-school 
programs as well.
  We cannot wait for another tragedy to happen before Congress acts, 
Mr. Speaker. We as Democrats stand ready to force a vote now on a 
juvenile justice bill so we can get it to the President's desk by the 
end of this school year.

[[Page H3614]]



                          ____________________