[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9506]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  SAVE OUR CHILDREN FROM GUN VIOLENCE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Saxton). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy) is recognized for 
5 minutes.
  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Senate voted 
down a loophole that could have been closed as far as guns being sold 
at gun shows. This was a very moderate request so that people, people 
with felonies, criminals, could not go to gun shows and buy guns that 
could possibly be used or sold to our young people.
  Last month when we had the shooting in Littleton, Colorado, it was 
something that all of us as victims were dreading. We always knew it 
was not a matter of if there would be another shooting in our schools, 
it all came down to a matter of when. How did I know that? I knew that 
because we have had five committee hearings here in the House. We have 
brought in all the experts. We were trying to analyze from the five 
shootings in our schools what could be done, what can we do.
  After Littleton, the American people said, we have to do something, 
and yet we hear silence here in the halls of Congress and now, 
obviously, in the Senate. What people forget is that every single day 
in this country 13 of our young people die through homicide, accidental 
deaths and suicides. People forget about those young people on a daily 
basis. Here they say there is nothing we can do.
  I do not believe that. I believe with sensible, moderate changes on 
how our young people get guns we can make a big difference. I know we 
will not be able to save all our children, but we certainly should do 
everything that we can to save as many as we can.
  I also know if the American people, the mothers, the fathers, 
students, teachers, if they do not become involved in this debate, we 
will not do anything here in the House. There are many of us that want 
to fight to save our children, to make sure our children feel safe when 
they go to the schools, but we need help. We need help because we have 
to hear from the American people. We need grass-root organizations. We 
need people to call here in Congress, call their Senator, e-mail them 
and say, ``We want something done.''
  When there is such a high percentage of Americans willing to make the 
sacrifice of being inconvenienced, inconvenienced to hopefully have 
more safety for our children, they are willing to do it. And yet those 
in the Senate and here in the House we hear nothing from. It is wrong.
  All we want is to try and have safe schools, to save our children. 
That is something that we are supposed to be doing here. That is why I 
came to Congress, to reduce gun violence, not to take away the right of 
someone to own a gun. I have never intended that.
  All I am saying is, if someone owns a gun, they are responsible for 
it and they have to make sure that our young people do not get into it.
  I know everyone is talking about the media, videos, mental health. 
These are all important issues. But responsibility with the parents, 
that is important also. We can deal with all these things. We have all 
the information. Anyone can go to the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce, and we will give them all the information they need.
  There was one thing in common in every single one of the school 
shootings, the easy access of guns to our young people. I do not know 
what it will take to have the Members here and the Senate wake up. I do 
not know what it will take. I dread what it might take.
  We can make a difference. The American people have said enough is 
enough. We should listen to them.
  Why won't this Congress listen to the American people and allow us to 
pass common sense laws to keep guns out of the hands of our children?
  Instead of listening to the American people, the Senate listened to 
the NRA leadership. Instead of making the laws stronger to stop kids 
and criminals from buying guns, the Senate has made the laws weaker. As 
a mother, grandmother and Member of Congress, I am deeply saddened by 
the Senate's vote.
  The American people don't want this to be about politics but that's 
exactly what it is. How many more children will have to die before 
Congress wakes up and passes laws to save young lives?
  We will not give up. We will fight harder for what the American 
people want--common sense measures to keep guns away from our kids and 
off our school campuses. My office alone has heard from thousands of 
people throughout this country who support legislation to address the 
deadly combination of children and guns.
  Now more than ever, we need to hear from every school and from every 
parent in this nation. Call, write, e-mail--flood the halls of Congress 
with your demands--let this Congress know that you want meaningful 
legislation passed to save our children from gun violence. Every day 
that goes by with more silence from this Congress, we lose 13 more 
kids.

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