[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 22 (Tuesday, March 5, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING PROJECT HOME SAFE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Indiana (Ms. Carson of Indiana) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to give special 
honor to Project Home Safe and their latest firearm safety initiative, 
although I do it under the shadow of yet another child's death caused 
by the reckless use of a firearm.
  Yesterday, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a 4-year-old boy shot and 
killed an 18-month-old girl with his father's handgun while the two of 
them were watching a movie. Another young innocent life ended. Congress 
has refused to enact common-sense legislation to prevent these kinds of 
senseless acts.
  As part of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Project Home Safe 
represents one of the largest and most diverse trade associations in 
America. Since September last year, Project Home Safe has toured 16 
States and visited over 300 communities, distributing hundreds of 
thousands of firearm safety devices in an effort to improve and 
preserve the lives of our children.

                              {time}  1900

  This month, they reached the great State of Indiana. In conjunction 
with our Lieutenant Governor, the Honorable Joe Kernan, Project 
HomeSafe launched a 35-day tour of Indiana, during which they will 
distribute 40,000 gun safety devices across the State. I want to 
commend the Department of Justice for providing the $5 million grant to 
enable this kind of activity.
  From March 1 to April 4, Project HomeSafe will be working with the 
Indiana State Police to help distribute the trigger locks at Wal-Mart 
lots and K-Mart lots across the State. Indiana residents can receive a 
free firearm safety kit that includes a cable-style gun lock and a 
safety brochure detailing the safe storage of firearms.
  To reinforce Project HomeSafe's safety messages, the firearms safety 
tour will travel through Indiana visiting 29 communities, using a 16-
foot mobile classroom truck designed to provide safety education at the 
community level. Indiana residents will be able to pick up their 
firearms safety kit, watch a safety video, and view a display of the 
safe storage equipment. A safety tour coordinator will also be 
available to answer any questions.
  Indiana's children will be able to visit the mobile classroom and 
will be encouraged to take the Project HomeSafe Pledge, which is a 
pledge presented to parents by children to show their commitment to 
safe firearms. Having already visited Indianapolis and Bloomington, the 
Project HomeSafe tour will visit many other cities, and I would like to 
insert those in the Record for the edification of people.

                             PROJECT HOMESAFE INDIANA TOUR SCHEDULE, MARCH 1-APRIL 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Day and date                  City              Time                          Venue
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, 3/6/2002............  Columbus..........  10:00-12:00     Wal-Mart, 1149 North National Rd.
Wednesday, 3/6/2002............  Jeffersonville....  3:00-5:00       Kmart, 2960 Hwy. 62.
Thursday, 3/7/2002.............  New Albany........  10:00-4:00      Kmart, 3525 Grantline Road.
Friday, 3/8/2002...............  Evansville........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 4551 University Drive.
Saturday, 3/9/2002.............  Evansville........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 401, N. Burkhardt Road.
Sunday, 3/10/2002..............  Vincennes.........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 650 Kimmel Road.
Monday, 3/11/2002..............  Terre Haute.......  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 5555 U.S. Hwy. #41.
Tuesday, 3/12/2002.............  Carmel............  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 2001 East 151 Street.
Wednesday, 3/13/2002...........  Lafayette.........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 4205 Commerce Drive.
Thursday, 3/14/2002............  West Lafayette....  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 2801 Northwestern Dr.
Friday, 3/15/2002..............  Hammond...........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 1828 165th Street.
Saturday, 3/16/2002............  Hammond...........  10:00-5:00      Big Kmart, 7925 Indianapolis Blvd.
Sunday, 3/17/2002..............  East Chicago......  10:00-5:00      TBD.
Monday, 3/18/2002..............  Gary..............  10:00-5:00      TBD
Tuesday, 3/19/2002.............  Merrillville......  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 2936 East 79th Avenue.
Wednesday, 3/20/2002...........  Valparaiso........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 2400 Morthland Drive.
Thursday, 3/21/2002............  Portage...........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 6087 U.S. Hwy. 6.
Friday, 3/22/2002..............  Michigan City.....  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 4301 South Franklin St.
Saturday, 3/23/2002............  South Bend........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 3701 Portage Road.
Sunday, 3/24/2002..............  South Bend........  10:00-5:00      Big Kmart, 4850 Western Ave. W.
Monday, 3/25/2002..............  Mishawaka.........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 316 Indian Ridge Road.
Tuesday, 3/26/2002.............  Elkhart...........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 175 Country Road #6 W.
Wednesday, 3/27/2002...........  Goshen............  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 2304 Lincolnway East.
Thursday, 3/28/2002............  Fort Wayne........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 5311 Coldwater Road.
Friday, 3/29/2002..............  Fort Wayne........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 1710 Apple Glen Blvd.
Saturday, 3/30/2002............  Marion............  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 3240 Southwestern.
Sunday, 3/31/2002..............  Kokomo............  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 1920 E. Markland Ave.
Monday, 4/1/2002...............  Anderson..........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 4420 Scatterfield Road.
Tuesday, 4/2/2002..............  Muncie............  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 4801 W. Clara Lane.
Wednesday, 4/3/2002............  New Castle........  10:00-5:00      Wal-Mart, 709 S. Memorial Drive
Thursday, 4/4/2002.............  Indianapolis......    11:00         State Capitol, Wrap-up Press Conference.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  I am extremely proud of my own home State of Indiana in that it is 
one of only 18 States participating in this program, but the education 
of both children and parents about firearm safety is still lacking 
across the Nation.
  A couple of weeks ago, a young man walked into a school in 
Indianapolis, Indiana, attempting to kill some 13 students. He lamented 
that the gun that he planned to use had a safety device on it that had 
already been inserted by his father and he was unable to follow through 
on his threat. Sadly, guns continue to be exempt from Federal 
oversight, and consumer protection laws continue to be tougher on toy 
guns than real guns.
  Mr. Speaker, I would encourage Congress to pay attention to the 
senseless and early deaths of our children and take some immediate 
measures to counteract the early demise of our children. Safety devices 
can prevent unintentional firearm death and injury. Every unintentional 
shooting involving children could have been prevented by a child-proof 
gun safety device.

                          ____________________