[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 118 (Tuesday, September 20, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H8129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   ANNIVERSARY OF ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN

  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. Mr. Speaker, just over a year ago, Congress allowed 
the Federal ban on assault weapons to expire without a floor vote. The 
ban was allowed to die despite the support of two-thirds of the 
American people and the support of nearly every police organization in 
the country. And although he did nothing to help, President Bush even 
said he supported the ban. But Congress refused to listen to common 
sense and allowed weapons such as AK-47s and Tec-9s to be available 
throughout the United States.
  Since then, the NRA and its allies in Congress have pursued a radical 
agenda to weaken our gun laws. In July, the other body passed 
legislation giving the gun industry unprecedented protections from 
negligent lawsuits. This legislation will see that negligence goes 
unpunished.
  It will also give the industry no incentive to pursue safety 
innovations for their products. Had these protections been in place for 
the auto industry 40 years ago, cars would not have seat belts, air 
bags, antilock brakes.
  The NRA says this law will prevent frivolous lawsuits against the gun 
industry. But it is a problem that does not exist. Over the past 10 
years, over 10 million lawsuits have been filed in the United States. 
Only 57 have involved the gun industry. And only 12 of those have been 
ruled frivolous by judges.
  The current system works. Frivolous lawsuit against the gun industry 
are not coming to trial. Also, the NRA has begun a lobbying campaign to 
convince State legislatures to overturn workplace gun laws. Whether it 
is at a day care center or school, church or hazardous material plant, 
the NRA wants employees to come to work armed.
  Again, it defies common sense. Guns are already the third greatest 
hazard in the work field. Seventeen Americans die in the job because of 
guns each and every week. Instead of dismissing irresponsible business 
practices and allowing guns in day care centers, Congress should focus 
on legislation that keeps illegal guns out of the hands of criminals 
and terrorists.
  We need to give gun law enforcement the tools to enforce current gun 
laws. According to the Department of Justice, only 2 percent of Federal 
gun crimes are enforced. I have introduced legislation to improve the 
National Instant Background Check System, or NICS, to make sure people 
who are not allowed to own guns cannot access them.
  NICS is a database used to make sure potential gun buyers are legally 
permitted to own firearms. But the system is only as good as the 
information States provide. Twenty-five States have entered less than 
60 percent of their felony convictions into the NICS database.
  In 13 States, domestic violence restraining orders are not entered 
into the NICS system. My bill will require States and Federal agencies 
to provide the FBI with all relevant records necessary to conduct 
effective background checks.
  The bill estimates a nationwide grant program to allow State law 
enforcement agencies to update and transmit records for inclusion into 
NICS.
  Another step towards reducing the threat of gun violence is to 
include individuals on the Federal terrorist watch list in the NICS 
system. That individuals with known terrorist ties are allowed to buy 
guns, with no questions asked, represents a serious threat to our 
homeland security.
  Earlier this year, the United States Government Accountability Office 
issued a report revealing 44 instances of persons listed on Federal 
terrorist watch lists attempting to purchase firearms from gun shows 
during a 4-month period in 2004. Thirty-five of these transactions 
resulted in a successful purchase of a firearm.
  Our current law allows our enemies in the war on terror to arm 
themselves within our own borders. I have introduced legislation to 
place persons on the Transportation Security Administration's no-fly 
list into the NICS system. If we do not trust an individual to board a 
plane, common sense dictates that we should not allow them to buy guns.
  Both sides of the gun issue have a vested interest in reducing gun 
violence. In 2002 alone, guns killed over 30,000 Americans. Each year, 
gun violence kills more of our children than cancer, pneumonia, asthma, 
AIDS, and the flu combined.
  Studies show gun violence costs our health care system more than $100 
billion a year. Mr. Speaker, we must work together to achieve 
commonsense solutions to violence, without infringing on the second 
amendment rights of law-abiding citizens.

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