[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 16, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H4346]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 GUN CONTROL DEBATE DRIVEN BY POLITICS

  (Mr. EWING asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.).
  Mr. EWING. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I talked about this same issue, and 
I talked about politics, politics, politics, and, yes, I believe that 
politics are driving the agenda on this debate. We are going to hear 
vitriolic attacks from the Democratic side of the aisle when we ought 
to be settling down to discuss what we can do to improve our laws, to 
improve the regulations, and, yes, to improve the enforcement of the 
laws on the books.
  Mr. Speaker, it does no good to pass another law if we are not going 
to do anything about it. Over 6000 incidents since 1996 through 1998 
reported of juveniles with possession of firearms at school; only 17 
were prosecuted.
  Mr. Speaker, I have to refer to the language of our Vice President 
when he distorts the facts and says one can walk into a gun shop and a 
pawn shop anywhere in America and buy a handgun if they are 18.
  Not so. Let us tone it down. Let us work together.

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