[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 148 (Wednesday, September 17, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1825]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                NATIONAL CAPITAL SECURITY AND SAFETY ACT

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                               speech of

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 16, 2008

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 6842) to 
     require the District of Columbia to revise its laws regarding 
     the use and possession of firearms as necessary to comply 
     with the requirements of the decision of the Supreme Court in 
     the case of District of Columbia v. Heller, in a manner that 
     protects the security interests of the Federal government and 
     the people who work in, reside in, or visit the District of 
     Columbia and does not undermine the efforts of law 
     enforcement, homeland security, and military officials to 
     protect the Nation's capital from crime and terrorism:

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I regret that the Congress is even debating 
this matter. As this summer's Supreme Court decision in District of 
Columbia v. Heller made clear, governments have the right to enact gun 
safety laws consistent with the Court's decision Heller. Unregulated 
firearms in the capital would preclude the ability of the Metropolitan 
Police Department to track guns through registration and otherwise to 
help ensure that guns do not endanger Federal officials and employees, 
visiting dignitaries, tourists, and local residents. Unfortunately, 
some see this bill as an opportunity to try to undo the Supreme Court's 
decision, the effect of which would be to create a ``Criminal's Firearm 
Bill of Rights.''
  Of greatest concern to me is that the proposed amendment to this bill 
would allow D.C. residents to cross State lines to purchase weapons, 
thereby weakening Federal anti-gun trafficking laws and encouraging the 
mass purchase of firearms outside of D.C. for resale to criminals or 
terrorists in D.C. We in New Jersey have lived very comfortably under 
our existing State gun safety laws--hunters, lobbyists, police, private 
citizens--but legislative interventions like the one proposed today 
undermine New Jersey's ability to keep its citizens safe. I can assure 
you that we in New Jersey do not want guns illegally purchased in D.C. 
being used in our State, which is why I did not support the amended 
version of this bill approved by the House.

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