[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 99 (Wednesday, July 14, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H5463-H5464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING MEMBERS OF SAFE COLORADO

  (Mr. UDALL of Colorado asked and was given permission to address the

[[Page H5464]]

House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, over the next 2 days we Members 
of Congress will have the opportunity to hear from a bright and 
dedicated group of high school students from the State of Colorado. 
These students are Members of an organization called SAFE Colorado, or 
Sane Alternatives to the Firearms Epidemic. This group formed in the 
aftermath of the Columbine High School tragedy, and they are here in 
Washington, D.C., to encourage Congress to pass laws to keep guns out 
of the hands of juveniles and criminals.
  While these SAFE students are here, I urge that all Members listen to 
what they have to say. I have visited numerous high schools in my 
district, and what I have learned is that these young women and men 
know their schools better than anyone else in their communities and 
certainly better than any of us here in the Congress. We can all learn 
from their experience and advice.
  Additionally, these young men and women do not care about politics or 
posturing. Instead, they care about whether they are going to be safe 
in their schools. As a father of two children in the public schools, I 
understand their concerns. The tragedy at Columbine High School has 
deepened my commitment to measures to make our communities safer and 
our schools safer.
  Gun laws are not the only answer, but I think they are a crucial part 
of the equation. I hope the House will have the wisdom to listen to 
these students and pass sensible gun safety measures that our 
colleagues in the Senate have already endorsed.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to these brave and 
conscientious young people from Colorado. I wish them a safe trip, and 
I wish them success in convincing the Congress to act to curtail gun 
violence in America today. The vast majority of Coloradans and 
Americans support sensible gun safety laws and so should we.

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