[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 76 (Friday, June 16, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S5298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              GUN VIOLENCE

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, a number of weeks ago, the distinguished 
minority leader, Senator Daschle, and others thought it might be 
worthwhile on a daily basis to remind our colleagues of the human 
tragedy that occurs every day in this country as a result of gun 
violence.
  We all remember very vividly the astounding events that occurred in 
Littleton, CO, at Columbine High School when we watched some 13 people 
lose their lives in that tragedy. It is hard to believe that that could 
occur; 13 people gunned down in a high school. Yet as the Democratic 
leader and others have pointed out, regrettably, every single day in 
this country we suffer the same results as we did at Columbine High 
School--not in one setting, thank God. Across the country, on average, 
12 or 13 people die every day in the United States as a result of gun 
violence.
  I am not going to stand here and suggest to you there is a simple 
piece of legislation that is going to resolve the issue. There are a 
lot of reasons we see this continued violence in our country. But 
certainly, responsible, thoughtful gun control legislation could make a 
significant contribution. We have already seen that in States and 
jurisdictions that require waiting periods, require some notification 
ahead of time as to who would be the purchaser of these weapons.
  There was a decision made a number of weeks ago that it might be 
worthwhile to make the case--and we talk in abstractions so often 
here--and to start talking about those people who lost their lives a 
year ago on this very day, June 16, 1999. On that date, we didn't have 
the average of 12 or 13; we lost 3 people in the United States on June 
16. There was one in Chicago, one in St. Paul, and one in Newark, NJ. 
That was a day on which the numbers were way down from what the average 
death toll is.
  I also point out that the names we have only come from the 100 
largest cities in the United States. Cities with populations of less 
than 12,000 are not included in these numbers. In those 100 cities, on 
June 16 last year, it was a far better day than most. Every one of the 
victims was a unique human being. Many other gun violence victims in 
other cities on that day didn't necessarily die, but some did in 
smaller towns.
  In the name of all of those who have died across the Nation a year 
ago today, and those who, regrettably, will lose their lives today in 
too many places across our country, I want to read the following names 
listed by the Conference of Mayors who were killed by gunfire 1 year 
ago in our country: Manuel Marcano, 18, Chicago; Antoine Watson, 19, of 
St. Paul, MN; an unidentified female in Newark, NJ.
  I know all Americans regret the loss of those lives. I hope that 
someday the national average will be something such as that, or even 
less, as a result of sensible, thoughtful proposals we might make to 
reduce the level of violence in our country.

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