[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 120 (Monday, October 2, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1642-E1643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     ALLIANCE FOR JUSTICE AND PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 2, 2000

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize and 
congratulate Alliance for Justice and Physicians for Social 
Responsibility and the more than 200 organizations, including the 
Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, North Suburban Chicago 
Million Mom March, and the Interfaith Initiative Against Gun Violence 
for their leadership of the First Monday 2000: Unite to End Gun 
Violence campaign. In my district, I'd like to recognize Northwestern 
University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, John Marshall Law 
and Chicago Kent College of Law for their hosting of First Monday 2000 
events.
  Today, in more than 350 communities across this nation, students, 
parents, doctors, lawyers, social workers, nurses, civic leaders, 
community members and elected officials will rally support for the 
passage of common sense gun safety legislation. These activities will 
include the showing of a short documentary film, ``America: Up in 
Arms'' by award-winning filmmakers Liz Garbus and Rory Kennedy. The 
film is a powerful presentation of the epidemic of gun violence and how 
it has irrevocably changed the lives of three families in America.
  Gun violence is all around us. We see it every day on our television 
screens and read about it in our newspapers. Rarely does a night go by 
without our local news reporting another shooting or the morning 
newspapers writing about the latest victims of gun violence. Even in my 
hometown of Evanston, we experienced three shootings in one night. It 
doesn't matter if you're in Chicago or small town USA, guns are 
everywhere--in the schools, on the trains and in the workplace. Numbers 
don't lie--over 30,000 people, including 4,000 children, die each year 
from gun violence. We are all affected and we must all take 
responsibility for ensuring that our children and our communities are 
safe from gun violence.
  With First Monday, we will add to our numbers and mobilize young men 
and women in communities across the country to bring even more energy 
to our cause. I am proud to be a part of this effort. We are energized, 
empowered and ready and with this unprecedented campaign we will 
succeed at ending gun violence.

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