[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 130 (Friday, October 7, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11294-S11295]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RESPECTING GUN LAWS IN DC

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, we owe it not only to the people who live 
and work in Washington, DC and the millions who visit, but to all 
Americans to do what we can to prevent gun violence in our nation's 
capital. It is important that we also respect the wishes of DC 
residents as they work to address the

[[Page S11295]]

problems of gun violence in their own communities. Unfortunately, 
legislation introduced earlier this year would undermine both of these 
objectives.
  Among other things, the misnamed District of Columbia Personal 
Protection Act would repeal local laws in Washington, DC that ban the 
sale and possession of unregistered firearms, require firearm 
registration, impose common sense safe storage requirements, and ban 
semiautomatic weapons.
  Elected officials and community leaders throughout Washington, DC, 
have made clear their opposition to this bill and any other attempt to 
roll back Washington's local gun safety laws. In recent months, many 
groups around the country working to end gun violence have also 
expressed strong opposition to the proposed repeal of local gun safety 
laws in Washington, DC. In July, 44 national, state, and local 
organizations issued an open letter to Congress opposing the so called 
District of Columbia Personal Protection Act. Among the groups who 
signed the letter were the United States Conference of Mayors, the 
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the 
National Black Police Association, Physicians for Social 
Responsibility, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and the 
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. Their letter said:

       The citizens of the District of Columbia should have the 
     power to decide by democratic means whether and how firearms 
     are regulated in the city where they live. DC's current gun 
     laws were passed almost 30 years ago by an elected city 
     council, and these laws continue to enjoy broad support among 
     business executives, law enforcement officials, health care 
     professionals, civic organizations, and ordinary citizens. 
     When legislation to repeal DC's gun laws was introduced last 
     year, it generated widespread opposition--and attracted 
     virtually no support--among DC residents.

  While this bill has not yet been considered in the Senate, the 
citizens of Washington, DC, continue to face attempts to roll back 
their local gun safety laws. During consideration of the fiscal year 
2006 District of Columbia appropriations bill, the House of 
Representatives adopted an amendment strongly supported by the National 
Rifle Association which would prohibit funds in the bill from being 
used to enforce a local requirement that District residents keep their 
firearms unloaded and disassembled or bound by a trigger lock in their 
homes. Fortunately, the current Senate version of the bill does not 
include a similar provision and I am hopeful the House-passed language 
will not become law.
  The Senate should respect the will of the people of Washington, DC, 
with regard to local gun safety laws. I hope the Senate will focus its 
efforts on legislation that will help make communities across our 
Nation safer, not on steps which would make our Nation's Capital less 
safe.
  I ask unanimous consent that the above-mentioned letter be printed in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                                    July 15, 2005.
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator: We are writing to express our strong 
     opposition to S. 1082, a bill that would strip the District 
     of Columbia's voters and elected officials of the power to 
     pass gun laws.
       The citizens of the District of Columbia should have the 
     power to decide by democratic means whether and how firearms 
     are regulated in the city where they live. DC's current gun 
     laws were passed almost 30 years ago by an elected city 
     council, and these laws continue to enjoy broad support among 
     business executives, law enforcement officials, health care 
     professionals, civic organizations, and ordinary citizens. 
     When legislation to repeal DC's gun laws was introduced last 
     year, it generated widespread opposition--and attracted 
     virtually no support--among DC residents.
       DC has made great strides in recent years, both in reducing 
     violent crime and in encouraging people to establish 
     businesses, buy homes, and build their lives in the city. The 
     city's finances are in order (it has an ``A'' rating from 
     bond analysts), the homicide rate is down (by 55 percent over 
     the past ten years), and commercial as well as residential 
     real estate markets are booming.
       The city has many challenges ahead, but its citizens and 
     political leaders are working to build consensus and solve 
     problems like any other municipality in the country through 
     vigorous debate, hard work, and participation in democratic 
     political institutions. While some members of Congress might 
     have different ideas about what's good for the city, we 
     believe the choices made by DC citizens and their elected 
     representatives in local government should be entitled to 
     respect.
       The debate over S. 1082 is about democracy, not the Second 
     Amendment. By denying the citizens of DC--who have no 
     representation in Congress--the right to decide how best to 
     protect public safety and reduce violent crime, this bill 
     would violate basic American values, and we urge you to 
     reject it.
           Sincerely,
       Alliance for Justice, Americans for Democratic Action, 
     American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, Brady 
     Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Break the Cycle Washington, 
     DC, CeaseFire Maryland, Ceasefire NJ, Ceasefire PA, and 
     Children's Defense Fund;
       Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Common Cause, Consumer 
     Federation of America, DC Action for Children, DC Democracy 
     Fund, DC Vote, The Episcopal Church, USA, Episcopal Diocese 
     of Washington, Florida Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and 
     Florida Consumer Action Network;
       Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence, Illinois Council 
     Against Handgun Violence, Iowans for the Prevention of Gun 
     Violence, Jewish Women International, The League of Women 
     Voters of the United States, Legal Community Against 
     Violence, and Maine Citizens Against Handgun Violence;
       Michigan Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence, National 
     Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), 
     National Black Police Association, National Council of Jewish 
     Women (NCJW), New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, and North 
     Carolinians Against Gun Violence Education Fund;
       Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, Oregon Consumer 
     League, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Saferworld, 
     States United to Prevent Gun Violence, and United Church of 
     Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries;
       Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, United 
     States Conference of Mayors, Virginians Against Handgun 
     Violence, Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort, and Women Against 
     Gun Violence (California).

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