[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 56 (Friday, March 30, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E724-E725]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     REINTRODUCTION OF THE PLEA ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 29, 2007

  Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, today I rise to reintroduce the PLEA Act to 
protect our citizens and to protect our law enforcement officers.
  The PLEA Act would ban the Five Seven handgun, a weapon that has been 
designed by FN Herstal of Belgium to have the power necessary to pierce 
a bulletproof vest while still being small enough to conceal. In other 
words, it is the perfect weapon for criminals to use against police 
officers.
  It is not useful as a hunting weapon and there are certainly other 
reasonable options for self-defense. So why do we need such a dangerous 
gun on our streets? The answer is that we do not.
  Some in the gun lobby have said the claims about the gun's power have 
been exaggerated. But I have seen a demonstration of the

[[Page E725]]

handgun myself. It is so powerful it can penetrate a bulletproof vest 
from as far as two football fields away. It is every bit as deadly as 
an assault rifle, but the Five-Seven can easily be concealed, putting 
law enforcement officials even more at risk.
  Bulletproof vests are unfortunately sometimes the only protection 
that our law enforcement officials possess. If vests are no longer able 
to protect them, we are putting all of our police officers in great 
peril.
  In fact, earlier this month there was a report in the press that a 
Mexican police officer was shot and killed by a Five Seven handgun 
despite the fact he was wearing a bulletproof vest.
  Do not let this tragedy repeat itself here in the United States.
  This is the type of gun that one would expect only to be available to 
the military, not citizens on the street. But I have heard from law 
enforcement officials in my district, in New York, that these guns have 
been confiscated all across the country. And not long ago, the Brady 
Campaign was able to purchase one just a few miles from here in 
Woodbridge, Virginia.
  Now is the time for Congress and the Bush administration to ban this 
weapon.
  That is why today I am reintroducing the PLEA Act to ban the sale, 
importation and possession of this gun.
  I ask my colleagues to join me and the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun 
Violence in supporting this important legislation. If you support law 
enforcement officers, then you should support banning this weapon.

                          ____________________