[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 65 (Tuesday, May 23, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S4253]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              GUN VIOLENCE

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, it has been more than a year since the 
Columbine tragedy, but this Republican Congress still refuses to act on 
sensible gun legislation. Since Columbine, thousands of Americans have 
been killed by gunfire. Until we act, Democrats in the Senate will read 
some of the names of those who lost their lives to gun violence in the 
past year and will continue to do so every day the Senate is in 
session.
  In the name of those who died, we will continue this fight. Following 
are the names of some people who were killed by gunfire 1 year ago 
today. Before I read the names, these are names, just letters in black 
and white, but every one represents a life living and breathing, loving 
and was loved. Every one leaves a family and friends who will never be 
the same, as well as the tragedy for all of us that someone is untimely 
taken from us:
  Rodney Autry, 30 years old, Dallas, TX; Aaron Baskin, 28 years old, 
Chicago, IL; Shawn Blake, 24 years old, Detroit, MI; Eddie Espinosa, 17 
years old, Miami-Dade County, FL; Keith Gales, 19 years old, 
Pittsburgh, PA; Rodney J. Graham, 25 years old, Chicago, IL; Gaberiel 
Herrea, 22 years old, Detroit, MI; Francisco Horta, 33 years old, 
Miami-Dade County, FL; Eddie Johnson, 17 years old, New Orleans, LA; 
Goodman Jones, 55 years old, Concord, NC; Brian Sentelle Hill, 20 years 
old, Macon, GA; Harvey Meyers, 23 years old, Philadelphia, PA; Tarvis 
E. Miller, 25 years old, Chicago, IL; Cleophis Ramsey, 41 years old, 
Miami-Dade County, FL; Jesus Rodriquez, 22 years old, Houston, TX; 
Luther Faye Smith, 45 years old, Tulsa, OK; Thomas Tyler, 20 years old, 
New Orleans, LA; Frederick Williams, 19 years old, Detroit, MI; Jamal 
Williams, 18 years old, Philadelphia, PA; unidentified female, 12 years 
old, Chicago, IL; an unidentified male, 24 years old, Norfolk, VA; an 
unidentified male, 60 years old, Portland, OR.
  I hope and pray the reading of these names importunes us to act. 
Would all of these deaths be prevented with better laws on the books? 
Maybe not. Would some of them have been prevented with better laws on 
the books? Most likely. But even if there is a chance that one of the 
lives I have mentioned might be living, breathing, living under God's 
sunshine on this Earth, being the kind of person we can all be just by 
the gift of life, then there is no reason not to act.
  I hope the understanding that every day, every year, there are names 
such as these from every part of this country who are killed by gun 
violence will finally move this body to act.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from 
Massachusetts.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to proceed for 5 
minutes as in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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