[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 72 (Thursday, May 26, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S6009]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 REPEALING D.C.'S LOCAL GUN SAFETY LAWS

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, legislation has been introduced that would 
repeal nearly every gun safety law in the District of Colombia. Sadly, 
the bill was introduced during the celebration of National Police Week 
and just days after 153 law enforcement officers who died in the line 
of duty in 2004 were honored at the National Law Enforcement Officers 
Memorial.
  The misnamed ``District of Colombia Personal Protection Act'' would 
repeal local laws in Washington, DC that ban the sale and possession of 
unregistered firearms, require firearm registration, impose commonsense 
safe storage requirements, and ban semiautomatic weapons in the 
District. Should this bill become law, those who live and work in our 
Nation's capital as well as tourists and other visitors would face a 
greater threat of gun violence.
  In a statement last week, DC Mayor Anthony Williams said, ``I am 
incensed by any congressional proposal that uses District residents as 
pawns. I am incensed by any proposal that assaults Home Rule. And I am 
incensed by any proposal that is an insult to the memory of the people 
who have died in this city due to gun violence--in particular the three 
children who have died from gun violence this year.''
  Instead of interfering in local affairs in Washington, DC, the Senate 
should focus its energies on legislation on improving the safety of the 
families and communities across the Nation. The Senate has yet to 
consider several common sense gun safety measures during this Congress. 
Among these are proposals that would reauthorize the 1994 assault 
weapons ban, prohibit the sale of the Five-Seven armor-piercing 
handgun, and help investigators working to prevent attacks by 
terrorists using high powered weapons. I urge the Senate to take up and 
pass these bills to make our Nation safer.

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