[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 107 (Thursday, June 26, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   THE DAILY 45: A PYRRHIC VICTORY FOR SOME IN TODAY'S SUPREME COURT 
                                 RULING

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                           HON. BOBBY L. RUSH

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 2008

  Mr. RUSH. Madam Speaker, since February of this year, on virtually 
every day the House has been in session, I have decried the senseless 
loss of life, due to gun violence, for what I call the forgotten 
``Daily 45.'' This number refers to the fact that, on average, 45 
people are fatally shot in the United States at the hands of an 
assailant or, worse, a loved one with a gun.
  There's still no national outrage at the fact that this number dwarfs 
the number of fatalities--Iraqi and American--that lose their lives 
daily, or even weekly, in the Iraq war zone! And, in the midst of all 
this, Madam Speaker, today, in a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court 
has ruled that residents in the District of Columbia have an individual 
right to own and maintain a gun in their homes. This decision will 
negate the efforts made by D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, and the 
Metropolitan Police Department, to reduce the skyrocketing murder rate 
as a result of firearms.
  I don't know what community the Justices live in but in my community, 
on the South Side of Chicago, there will be no celebrations in praise 
of this pyrrhic victory. Unfortunately, I can guarantee you that, 
tonight, some parent, some brother, some sister or some community 
leader will, once again, cry out in agony at the loss of yet another 
life from the violence wrought by a gun.
  Americans of conscience must come together to stop the senseless 
death of ``The Daily 45.'' When will Americans say ``enough is enough, 
stop the killing!''

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