[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 96 (Monday, June 6, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2771-S2772]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Gun Control

  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I will speak more on this subject later 
this week, but I spent much of last week, both Marcelle and I did, in 
Vermont. It is a very peaceful State.
  We walk across the fields at our home, walk down the dirt road where 
we live, and then go to various places just meeting with people all 
over the State. A lot of it was in what is called Chittenden County. 
That is about a quarter of the State's population. That is where I was 
a prosecutor, State's attorney is what we called it.
  I made it a point during that time that if we had a violent crime, a 
gun crime, I would go to the scene, whether it was 3 o'clock in the 
morning or 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Some of the most violent ones 
were, of course, at 3 o'clock in the morning. I can still remember 
every single one of them like it was yesterday, but they were a tiny 
fraction of what we see every day.
  I hear people say we should pray for these children. I would say pray 
that the Congress has the guts to stand up and pass real gun control 
legislation.
  In Vermont, we limit the number of rounds you can have in a 
semiautomatic weapon during deer season. We ought to try to protect 
children as much as we do deer.
  Again, fortunately in our State, the number of murders and shootings 
I went to were nothing like we see today. But I have awakened in the 
middle of the night remembering the scenes. When you are at a murder 
scene and it is a child who has been murdered and it is 3 o'clock in 
the morning, the grieving family is there, there is no way you forget 
it.
  That is more than 50 years ago I was doing that. I can tell you 
exactly what each of those rooms looked like. I can tell you exactly 
who the person was I prosecuted for it. And I can tell you exactly how 
many times I prayed, Why

[[Page S2772]]

did this have to happen and never let it happen again.
  As I said, I will speak further on this. I know in my State of 
Vermont, we do have a very large percentage of gun owners. Most of them 
tell me, ``Do something.''
  As I said, of course, pray for the children. Pray that the Congress 
does the right thing with real--with real--gun control.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.