[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S7805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           GUN SHOW LOOPHOLE

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, 2 months ago, right after the tragedy of 
Columbine High School, I warned that whenever a tragedy occurs in our 
schools, if we don't act quickly and resolutely, the tragedy would 
recede in memory and we would fail to pass laws necessary to make our 
schools safe, thereby creating new ways for future tragedies to occur.
  To the relief of the entire Nation, the Senate passed the juvenile 
justice bill that, thankfully, although belatedly, closed the gun show 
loophole.
  The House, however, failed in its duty to the American people. The 
House was unable to shake loose from the NRA. They were unable to pass 
a juvenile justice bill with any gun control legislation and unable to 
even close the gun show loophole.
  I rise today to remind the Senate of the urgency that led us to act 
firmly and resolutely after Columbine, and to use the various 
parliamentary procedures that allow Members to bring the juvenile 
justice bill and the gun show loophole bill to conference where we can 
do what is right.
  I spent part of this weekend, Sunday and Monday, in New York's 
capital region, talking with constituents from Albany and the 
surrounding towns. Some of the areas were fairly rural. Without 
prompting, people walked up to me and said: Senator, what the heck are 
they doing in Washington? How come you can't even close something as 
simple as the gun show loophole?
  They were incredulous. These people aren't passionate advocates of 
gun controls. They were outraged. They could not believe that a 
lobbying group, even such a powerful lobbying group as the NRA, could 
stop the Congress from passing a basic gun show measure.
  I am proud of what the Senate accomplished last month. We debated 
juvenile justice for over a week. Passions frequently ran high. We cast 
five separate votes on various proposals purporting to close the gun 
show loophole. In the end, we approved the real thing. The juvenile 
justice bill itself passed by a margin of 73-25, with majorities of 
both parties voting in favor.
  Is it a perfect bill? No. Is it a good bill that will make a real 
difference? Absolutely.
  Now the question is whether we are going to throw up our hands and 
say the House couldn't stand up to the gun lobby, so let's give up.
  We are in a strange lull, a lull in which newspaper stories inform 
us, and I quote the Washington Times of June 23:

       Some [GOP leaders] said even a Senate-House conference to 
     iron out differences with Democrats over gun-control 
     provisions in a juvenile justice bill is now in doubt.

  I am told today that Mr. Armey said at the very earliest, conferees 
would not be appointed until after the July 4 recess.
  First and foremost, conferees ought to be appointed. We should not 
simply stop the process because some people, certainly a minority of 
the Members of Congress, and certainly a minority in terms of the views 
of the American people, do not want it to happen. The Senate debated 
the issue. We should have the ability to go to conference. I call on 
the House leadership to appoint conferees quickly and with alacrity so 
we might debate the provisions here, not only the gun show loophole but 
many of the provisions that people on both sides of the aisle support 
that would make it easier to punish violent juveniles as adults and 
that would provide some of the prevention services that young people 
need. Because juvenile justice and closing the gun show loophole is a 
priority to many Americans; to a large majority of Americans, in my 
opinion.
  Two weeks ago, for instance, a month after we passed the juvenile 
justice bill, we passed the Y2K liability bill. Lo and behold, Senate 
conferees were immediately appointed, and I understand we are now close 
to an agreement. In fact, I believe an agreement is due this afternoon. 
I think that is great. But Y2K is a far more complicated bill than 
juvenile justice. It is treading on fresh new ground.
  The millennium, by definition, occurs every thousand years but we 
finished this one right up. The juvenile justice bill, however, is in 
stasis. There are things that can be done to get it moving. The most 
obvious is for the House leadership once again to appoint conferees so 
we can debate the gun show loophole. The real problem I fear is that 
those in the Republican House leadership do not want to continue to 
debate this issue. They know their allies in the NRA and the American 
people, including most gun owners, are divided because most Americans, 
including most gun owners, sincerely believe providing a background 
check at a gun show does not infringe their rights just as we now 
provide that a background check must be done when you buy a gun at a 
gun shop. But they do not want to do that.
  So there are other things we should consider to get things moving. 
Perhaps we can add these provisions to a bill that has to be 
conferenced. Perhaps we can add this to other types of proposals which 
the other body sees a need to have go forward. But I am issuing this 
challenge, particularly to the House leadership but to all of my 
colleagues: We should pledge to send a juvenile justice bill, one way 
or another, to the President's desk, a bill which includes the Senate 
gun show provision, by the first day of school, the Tuesday after Labor 
Day. That is 2 months to pass a bill that we already passed. If we do 
not, and there is, God forbid, another school shooting, we will sorely 
regret our inaction.
  I yield the remainder of my time.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. REED. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. REED. I thank the Chair.

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