[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 96 (Tuesday, July 13, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8023-S8024]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            SUPPORT IS BROAD

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, the bipartisan list of supporters for 
extending the Federal Assault Weapons Ban continues to grow longer and 
even more influential. This week, former Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy 
Carter, and Bill Clinton sent a joint letter to President Bush urging 
him to spur Congress to act to extend this important gun safety law. 
The former Presidents make an already impressive group of supporters 
even more remarkable.
  The reauthorization of this law already has the support of America's 
law enforcement community, gun safety organizations, millions of moms 
and countless others. The message of the former Presidents is simple: 
the assault weapons ban works. They wrote to President Bush: ``Each of 
us, along with President Reagan, worked hard in support of this vital 
law, and it would be a grave mistake if it were allowed to sunset.''

[[Page S8024]]

  In addition to banning 19 specific weapons, the existing ban makes it 
illegal to ``manufacture, transfer, or possess a semiautomatic'' 
firearm that can accept a detachable magazine and has more than one of 
several specific military features, such as folding/telescoping stocks, 
protruding pistol grips, bayonet mounts, threaded muzzles or flash 
suppressors, barrel shrouds or grenade launchers. These weapons are 
dangerous and they should not be on America's streets.
  The National Rifle Association has said that the ban is ineffective 
and unnecessary. The NRA asserts that guns labeled as assault weapons 
are rarely used in violent crimes. But this assertion is not supported 
by the facts. According to statistics reported by the Brady Campaign to 
Prevent Gun Violence, from 1990 to 1994, assault weapons named in the 
ban constituted 4.82 percent of guns traced in criminal investigations. 
However, since the ban's enactment, these assault weapons have made up 
only 1.61 percent of the crime-related guns traced.
  In 1994, I voted for the assault weapons ban and in March of this 
year I joined a bipartisan majority of the Senate in voting to extend 
the assault weapons ban for 10 years. Unfortunately, despite Senate 
passage of the amendment, it appears that this important gun safety law 
will be allowed to expire. The House Republican leadership opposes 
reauthorizing the law and President Bush, though he has said he 
supports it, has done little to help keep the law alive.
  I hope the letter from Presidents Ford, Carter and Clinton will 
prompt President Bush to act to promote the passage of the extension of 
the Assault Weapons Ban.
  I ask unanimous consent that the letter from former Presidents Ford, 
Carter and Clinton be printed in the Record.
                                                    June 14, 2004.
     President George W. Bush,
     The White House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear President Bush: We are pleased that you support 
     reauthorization of the federal Assault Weapons Act, which is 
     scheduled to expire in September. Each of us, along with 
     President Reagan, worked hard in support of this vital law, 
     and it would be a grave mistake if it were allowed to sunset.
       There continues to be strong support for this law among our 
     nation's police officers who risk their lives every day to 
     protect the public. That is because they remember the days, 
     prior to the enactment of the law in 1994, when military-
     style, semiautomatic firearms had become the weapons of 
     choice for gangs, drug traffickers, and paramilitary 
     extremist groups. The firearm death rate soared as criminals 
     used these weapons, outfitted with 20, 50 and even hundred 
     round ammunition clips, to kill, maim, and terrorize. We 
     cannot go back to those days.
       At a time when terrorism continues to be a serious threat, 
     it is even more imperative that we renew the Assault Weapons 
     Act and limit access to military-style weapons and high-
     capacity ammunition clips. But with upcoming recesses, there 
     are not many legislative days left for Congress to renew the 
     law. We urge you to make reauthorization of the Assault 
     Weapons Act a top priority for your Administration and spur 
     Congress to action. If we can be of assistance to you in this 
     regard, we are ready to do so.
       Sincerely,
     Gerald R. Ford.
     Bill Clinton.
     Jimmy Carter.

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