[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 144 (Thursday, October 21, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12999-S13000]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      DAY OF NATIONAL CONCERN ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE AND GUN VIOLENCE

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, today has been designated by the Senate 
as a ``Day of National Concern about Young People and Gun Violence.'' 
Sadly, thus far, the Senate seems indifferent to that fact.
  Despite repeated acts of gun violence, the conference on the juvenile 
justice bill, which was convened 77 days ago, has yet to complete its 
business. While the conference is stalled, more and more children are 
losing their lives.
  Every day in the United States, 12 children under the age of 19 are 
killed with guns--1 child every 2 hours. Every day, three children 
commit suicide using a firearm. Every day, approximately six children 
are murdered by gunfire. Between 1979 and 1997, gunfire killed nearly 
80,000 children and teens in America, more than the total number of 
soldiers lost in the Vietnam war. In fact, homicide is the third 
leading cause of death among children ages 5 to 14.
  That is why Senator Murray and others worked so hard to pass the 
resolution that declared today, this day, the ``Day of National Concern 
about Young People and Gun Violence.''
  The good news is that the number of children dying from gunfire has 
declined. Moreover, children across the country are engaged in positive 
endeavors to rid their communities of violence and to encourage their 
friends to find peaceful ways to settle disputes.
  This week, the Democrats in the House of Representatives hosted 300 
teenagers from across the country for a conference entitled ``Voices 
Against Violence.'' At this conference, teens discussed their concerns 
about violence and explored ideas for addressing this pressing problem.
  Senate Democrats believe we, in the Senate, must join America's 
children and do our part to stem that violence. That is why we fought 
so hard to pass a comprehensive juvenile justice bill that included 
common sense gun safety provisions, money for programs designed to 
prevent violence before it occurs, and measures to ensure that those 
few kids who are truly dangerous are punished appropriately.
  On May 20th the Senate passed the juvenile justice bill, and on June 
17th the House passed their juvenile justice bill. After waiting weeks, 
on August 5th--77 days ago--the juvenile justice conference had its 
first and only meeting. Yesterday marked the 6-month anniversary of the 
Columbine tragedy, and it is time for the stalling to stop.
  The Y2K legislation conference report was produced 14 days after the 
Senate passed the bill, and the Republican tax cut conference report 
was produced only 5 days after the Senate voted on that package. Why 
don't we have the same commitment to producing legislation to combat 
youth violence?
  The conference should be working around the clock to produce a bill 
the

[[Page S13000]]

President can sign before the end of this session. We ought to use this 
day and every day to ensure that this juvenile justice bill is passed 
and to ensure that we live up to the expectations of all who said on 
the day when we passed the ``Day of National Concern about Young People 
and Gun Violence" legislation that it was more than just words, it was 
more than just a rhetorical commitment, it meant sincerely that the 
Senate was serious about addressing this issue. Indeed, we remind our 
colleagues that thus far, our children have waited too long.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I commend the Democratic leader, Senator 
Daschle, for bringing to the attention of the Senate this extremely 
important day, October 21. It is the Day of National Concern about 
Young People and Gun Violence. This is a day that all Members in the 
Senate have recognized as a day we want young people everywhere to take 
a pledge to not bring a gun to school and to resolve their conflicts 
without using a gun. It is a very important message.
  This is a bipartisan message. Senator Kempthorne and I began this 
effort 4 years ago. This year, Senator John Warner and I put this 
resolution forward in a bipartisan way. It was supported by all Members 
of the Senate. It is a simple message to young children. Millions of 
them today took the pledge and joined with others in their community to 
take the power of reducing violence into their own hands.
  As leaders of the United States, we have a responsibility to do all 
we can to reduce youth violence in this country. We need to stand 
behind these young kids who are taking violence and the issue of 
violence in their own hands and say we, as the leaders of this country, 
stand with you.
  I commend Senator Daschle for his statement, for bringing to the 
attention of the Senate our responsibility as adults to reduce the 
number of guns to which our young kids have access, and urge our 
colleagues to move forward on these critical issues that have been left 
behind in this session of Congress.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, yesterday was the 6 month anniversary of 
the shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, CO. Fourteen 
students and a teacher lost their lives in that tragedy on April 20, 
1999. But still the Congressional leadership refuses to send to the 
President comprehensive juvenile justice legislation.
  This is shameful.
  As we have for months now, Senate and House Democrats stand ready to 
work with Republicans to enact into law an effective juvenile justice 
conference report that includes reasonable gun safety provisions. 
Yesterday, all the House and Senate Democratic conferees sent a letter 
to Senator Hatch and Congressman Hyde calling for an open meeting of 
the juvenile justice conference.
  We need to bring this up. Vote it up. Vote it down. I don't know what 
everybody is scared of. But at least let's vote.
  This delay is simply because of the opposition of the gun lobby to 
any new firearm safety laws. Even though the Senate passed the Hatch-
Leahy Juvenile Justice Bill in May, we still have not moved forward on 
a juvenile justice conference report.
  I hope the majority will hear the call of our nation's law 
enforcement officers to act now to pass a strong and effective juvenile 
justice conference report.
  Ten national law enforcement organizations, representing thousands of 
law enforcement officers, yesterday endorsed the Senate-passed gun 
safety amendments and support loophole-free firearm laws: International 
Association of Chiefs of Police; International Brotherhood of Police 
Officers; Police Executive Research Forum; Police Foundation; Major 
Cities Chiefs; Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association; National 
Sheriffs Association; National Association of School Resource Officers; 
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives; and Hispanic 
American Police Command Officers Association.
  Law enforcement officers in this country need help in keeping guns 
out of the hands of people who should not have them. I am not talking 
about people who use guns for hunting or for sport, but about criminals 
and unsupervised children.
  The thousands of law enforcement officers represented by these 
organizations are demanding that Congress act now to pass a strong and 
effective juvenile justice conference report. As a conferee, I am ready 
to work with Republicans and Democrats to do just that.
  According to press reports, the Republicans are meeting and having 
sensitive negotiations over gun proposals. Apparently, the Republicans 
on the conference and the Republican leadership met last Thursday to 
hammer out an agreement on guns. They were not successful. Bicameral 
Republican meetings cannot be confused with bipartisan conference 
meetings. Only in open conference meetings with an opportunity for full 
debate will we be able to resolve the differences in the juvenile 
justice bills and get a law enacted.
  Every parent, teacher and student in this country is concerned about 
school violence over the last two years and worried about when the next 
shooting may occur. They only hope it does not happen at their school 
or involve their children.
  We all recognize that there is no single cause and no single 
legislative solution that will cure the ill of youth violence in our 
schools or in our streets. But we have an opportunity before us to do 
our part. We should seize this opportunity to act on balanced, 
effective juvenile justice legislation, and measures to keep guns out 
of the hands of children and away from criminals.
  I hope we get to work soon and finish what we started in the juvenile 
justice conference. It is well past the time for Congress to act.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Snowe). The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LOTT. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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