[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13598]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                MANDATORY GUN SHOW BACKGROUND CHECK ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. GREGORY W. MEEKS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 17, 1999

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2122) to 
     require background checks at gun shows, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Chairman, I support the McCarthy amendment 
because I believe that gun shows should come under the same laws as gun 
stores. When individuals buy a gun from a gun store, they must undergo 
a background check--we must have the same background check for gun 
shows.
  This amendment will require under the Brady Law, the instant 
background check of up to 3 business days on all gun show transactions. 
This is fair. We should have no exceptions to the rule.
  Imagine no background checks. According to the National Association 
of Arms Shows, over 5 million people attend nearly 5,200 gun shows each 
year in the U.S. No background checks or record keeping was done at 
these events.
  According to Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, if the 72-
consecutive-hour rule had been in effect over the past 6 months for 
regular retail store purchases--more than 9,000 felons and other 
prohibited purchasers would have been able to buy guns because their 
background checks would not have been completed in time.
  Now, if this could happen at gun stores--imagine if we do not have 
this 3 day period when purchasing a gun at a gun show? Why should we 
make it easier for potential criminals to purchase a gun? An increasing 
number of criminals--who couldn't pass a background check at a gun 
store--are finding gun shows to be an easy source of guns. Imagine all 
the people that have died--because someone bought a gun without a 
background check.
  And let me remind you that under Mr. Dingell's amendment proposing a 
24-hour background check--17,000 prohibited persons would have slipped 
through the system.
  We do not want any more crimes to occur. We do not want any more 
children in jail. We do not want to go to any more funerals.
  Let's regulate gun show sales the same way as gun store sales. 
Support the McCarthy amendment like the: National Alliance of Stocking 
Gun Dealers, American Bar Association, The Police Foundation, National 
Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, and the U.S. Conference 
of Mayors.

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