[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 25 (Wednesday, March 8, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H737-H738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              GUN VIOLENCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am going to do something a 
little bit different this afternoon and speak to a number of topics 
during the time frame that I have for this special order.
  First of all, I think it is appropriate to again do something that 
many of us wish we did not have to do, and that is to offer sympathy 
for those who have died at the hands of reckless gun violence. Just 
about an hour or so ago in Memphis, Tennessee, five individuals were 
shot, we understand that two fatally, by a seemingly deranged 
individual. But the facts are not in, and I do not want to speculate.
  The police personnel who came upon the house, found a deceased woman 
in the house. The house was set on fire. Other police personnel came 
and fire fighters. I believe the news reports indicate that one fire 
fighter is down along with a police officer. As I said, additional 
facts are still coming in.
  Now, as I indicated last week, I am going to be a regular fixture on 
the House floor discussing gun violence. I believe that, if we would 
listen to the American people and listen to good common sense and 
depoliticalize this issue, we might be able to come together in a 
conference committee and get this matter resolved.
  This is not an issue that should be dominated by the National Rifle 
Association. It should not be dominated by fear. It should not be 
dominated by misinterpretation of the Second Amendment, which was 
actually written in the course of history where many Americans were 
fearful of those from other countries, in particular a recently formed 
nation, that would take up arms and try to seize this nation back, a 
foundling nation of some 13 colonies. It was to establish a well-
organized militia.
  There is no intent on behalf of those who believe in gun regulations 
and gun safety to take away guns from law-abiding citizens. But we have 
to close the gun show loopholes and take the guns out of the hands of 
criminals. We must have trigger locks. We must, in fact, hold adults 
responsible for children who accidently or otherwise shoot others. We 
must, in fact, eliminate the fact that children can go to gun shows, 
which in my community are about every week, without an adult.
  We must, frankly, be serious about the fact that America is looked 
upon as a Nation under the siege of gun violence, with more guns in 
this Nation than human beings. Frankly, people are living in fear.

                              {time}  1630

  Now, many would say, Let me arm myself and I will protect myself from 
those who have the guns. It does not work that way, for we are arming 
ourselves and endangering other law enforcement officers, and we are 
creating a Nation at war.
  It is time now for Republicans to lay down their political hats. And 
if one would think Democrats have theirs on, all of them need to be on 
the conference committee, of which I am a member, and discuss this in a 
manner that will bring realistic gun regulation to America.
  I would hope that as we have marched this past week in commemoration 
of the march from Selma to Montgomery, which I had the honor in 
participating in, with faith in politics in Selma, in Birmingham, in 
Montgomery, that we will see that America can draw upon its spirit. It 
can draw upon its spirit to create opportunities in civil rights; then 
it can draw upon its deeply embedded spirit of the fact that we are all 
human beings and we deserve that kind of respect to pass gun safety 
legislation.
  In addition, I had the honor, I guess, or the challenge of joining 
some 25,000-some individuals in the capital of Florida, in Tallahassee, 
to stand up for equal rights for all and oppose the One Florida concept 
that would eliminate affirmative action. For many, I believe, this is a 
confused position. Affirmative action is not quotas. They are illegal. 
Affirmative action is simply outreach to minorities and women, creating 
an equal playing field.
  It seems disappointing that we in America, in the year 2000, have 
individuals who wish to turn back the clock; who would smile when we 
talk about civil rights; who would whisper when we talk about 
affirmative action; and who would snicker when we talk about gun 
safety. Well, my friends I believe that if we are going to be the world 
power, the trading Nation of the world, if we are going to promote a 
strong America, a one America, including everyone at the seat of 
empowerment, then the snickering and the snide remarks have to stop. We 
have to realize that 6-year-olds have guns because they come from 
dysfunctional families but, more importantly, because criminals get 
guns and others do not.
  So I hope that Americans who are fearful of us coming into their 
homes and taking their guns, if they are law-abiding citizens, they 
will realize and encourage this conference committee to meet and do 
plain and simple and real gun safety legislation. Otherwise, we will 
see us day after day bemoaning the fact of those who have lost their 
lives to gun violence. How much and how long do we have to see this 
occur as we near the commemoration and the sadness of April 20, a year 
after the

[[Page H738]]

tragedy of Columbine High School? We have still not acted and Americans 
are asking us to act.
  I believe the commemoration of the Selma to Montgomery march, the 
March 7, 1965, Bloody Tuesday, or the Bloody Sunday it was called at 
that time, where we turned people back because they wanted the right to 
vote, out of that act the Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 
1965. Does America have to wait for more violence and more bloodshed to 
pass real gun safety laws? I would hope not.
  Frankly, I hope America will come together with people of good will, 
put the snickering aside, the snide remarks aside, and get the good 
people of America to join us and encourage us to pass real gun safety 
legislation.

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