[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 28365]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                        WASHINGTON STATE TRAGEDY

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, this is a difficult day for the people of 
my home State of Washington. I spent a lot of time last night talking 
with my neighbors, my family members, and local officials in Seattle. 
Like me, they are all trying to make sense out of something that makes 
no sense--yesterday's act of violence which killed two people, injured 
two more, and brought fear to my own neighborhood.
  I wasn't sure if I should come to the floor today because I kept 
asking myself, What is there left to say? That once again, Americans 
are mourning after yet another deadly shooting? That once again, our 
families and our neighbors are gripped with fear because someone with a 
gun has decided to act violently? That once again, these outbreaks of 
violence aren't going away--they are just becoming too common?
  I decided I should come to the floor to offer first my condolences to 
the families who have been involved and to talk to the people of my 
State and to thank the law enforcement officials who have responded and 
to talk to my colleagues about what we can do. My heart goes out to 
everyone who walks along the Burke-Gilman Trail, a trail I have walked 
on so many times. My heart goes out to every child who was held in 
school until they got home safely last night and into their parents' 
arms. My heart goes out to everyone who works and lives and knows this 
neighborhood. On Tuesday, it was safe. Today, it is gripped with fear.
  Do we see what is happening? Or have these crazy acts become so 
common that we think we just cannot do anything about them? Can't we 
see it was someone else's neighborhood yesterday? It was my 
neighborhood today. Tomorrow it could be your neighborhood. What can we 
do? Why haven't we done something already? Are we too gripped with 
partisanship? Are we too tied to special interests to act? Are we too 
afraid to change the status quo or to even question our own rhetoric? 
Are we asking the right questions? Are we really posing the right 
answers?
  I know it is in our spirit as Americans to hope for the best and to 
believe things will get better. That is usually the way it is. But how 
many shootings will it take before we realize things aren't getting 
better on their own? They are getting worse, and it is up to us to take 
action.
  It seems to me we, as a nation, have not dealt with the mentally ill. 
We don't want to pay for costly services. But don't we all end up 
paying later at a far higher cost? It seems to me, as a nation, we have 
not spoken out against violence in a strong and consistent manner. 
Can't we find a way to speak out without violating our freedom of 
speech? Can we have this conversation without falling into the traps of 
the far right and the far left?
  Every time we turn on the news and we are gripped by fear, guns are 
involved. What tragedy will it take before we act? How many people have 
to die? How many shootings is it going to take? How close to home do 
they have to strike?
  We had a shooting here in the Capitol, in the heart of democracy, and 
we still have not acted. Can't we make commonsense rules about keeping 
guns away from those who shouldn't have them?
  I personally am tired of the old rhetoric. From the far left they 
say: Take all the guns away. From the far right they say: It is not the 
guns, it is lax law enforcement.
  Give me a break. We are the greatest nation in this world; can't we 
come up with some commonsense ideas about how to protect our own 
people? I think we can.
  This Congress has failed miserably. Here we are, in the same year as 
the Columbine tragedy, with no juvenile justice bill, no background 
checks for guns sold at gun shows, no resources for our communities to 
help those who are mentally ill, and no afterschool activities for our 
kids. That is shameful.
  I hope my colleagues will stop and think for a minute and realize 
this is not happening to someone else. It is happening to all of us. It 
was Hawaii on Tuesday. It was Washington on Wednesday. It could be your 
State today. Those are just the mass shootings that get a lot of media 
attention. We should not forget, on the average, 12 children a day die 
from gunfire.
  I say to my colleagues, I would love to work with anyone from either 
side of the aisle who wants to take the time to really talk about what 
our country is facing. There are many factors. People are overstressed; 
violence is pervasive; weapons are easy to get. It is a flammable 
combination that has exploded too often.
  Our country is looking for leaders who will work together on this. I 
say it is time to try. I invite anyone who wants to work with me to let 
me know. I certainly am one mom who has had enough.
  I yield the floor.
  Several Senators addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.

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