[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 24, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H539]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     EXTEND BAN ON ASSAULT WEAPONS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, on January 17, 1989, a gunman 
used a weapon like this one behind me to fire 102 bullets into a 
crowded elementary school in California. The weapon is the AK-47, and 
it is very good at what it does. It kills as many people as possible as 
quickly as possible. Before the shooting stopped, 34 children and 
teachers had been shot. In less than 2 minutes, the gunman was able to 
spray the school yard with more than 100 bullets. America was rightly 
outraged.
  On December 7, 1993, another gunman came on a train on the Long 
Island Railroad. This gunman had large-capacity clips and was able to 
shoot and kill six people, one of them my husband, and wound 21 people, 
one of them my son. It was at that time that I decided that I would do 
whatever I could to reduce gun violence in this country.
  We were also having a debate here in Washington on having an assault 
weapons ban, and I became part of that debate. We were very lucky that 
when it came up for a vote, it won by one vote.
  But there is good news for criminals, gangs and terrorists. Soon they 
will be able to buy an AK-47 once again. Soon criminals, gangs, 
terrorists can go into any gun store and buy any kind of assault weapon 
that they want. The assault weapons ban expires this September 14. Some 
in Congress wish this issue would just go away, but Americans 
overwhelmingly support the ban. Even 66 percent of gun owners support 
the ban. They support it because it worked and because it protected the 
rights of law-abiding citizens to own handguns, hunting rifles and 
shotguns. Once again, every major law enforcement agency in the country 
has endorsed the ban. The Supreme Court has even upheld a stronger 
version of the ban.
  But nothing will get done if President Bush refuses to add his voice 
to the effort. He has promised to sign a new assault weapons ban if it 
reaches his desk, but if his leadership is not here, and if he does not 
tell Tom DeLay to bring the bill up for a vote, it is never going to 
reach his desk.
  I have introduced H.R. 2038, which would renew the ban while closing 
its most gaping loopholes. I came to Congress to fight for gun safety. 
I have fought for common-sense, effective gun measures, but too many of 
my colleagues seem beholden to gun pressure groups. Yet we know the 
American people want to have assault weapons kept off their streets. We 
cannot let special interests trump the safety of American families and 
our police officers.
  We have 202 days to renew the ban. Failing to do so would be an 
outrage, and the American people will demand an explanation in 
November. But there is something that they can do today. I urge all 
Americans to contact their Members of Congress and their Senators and 
tell them we want to keep assault weapons off the street. We have got 
to band together for the safety of our families, our children and our 
communities. This is something we can do.
  People talk about they never have a voice in government. I happen to 
know that having a voice in government is very important. Here in this 
House, how many times have we seen bills pass by one vote? Or fail by 
one vote? It is up to the American people to get involved in this.
  This evening we have heard so many of my colleagues talk about all 
the things that are going on in this world, budget deficits, 
medications that cannot get to our patients. These are all serious 
problems. But allowing assault weapons back onto our streets again to 
kill our officers, to go into our schools, this is something we can do. 
This is something where the American people can have their voices 
heard. We outnumber the NRA. We outnumber those that are trying to stop 
this.
  Since I have been in Congress, I have always tried to uphold the 
second amendment, but this kind of a gun is only meant for one thing. 
It is to kill as many people as possible. It is guns like this that we 
are seeing in Iraq, Israel, Haiti. These are the kind of guns that are 
used to wipe out people as fast as they can. You are telling me a 
sportsperson wants these back on the streets again?
  Mr. Speaker, I will be back here every single week until the American 
voices are heard, and I will be here to voice those voices.

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