[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2971]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



    ELEVEN-MONTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRAGEDY AT COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, today marks the 11-month anniversary of the 
tragic school shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado. On April 
20, 1999, 2 boys walked into their high school, armed to the hilt, and 
killed 13 students and faculty members before taking their own lives. 
Despite the horrible nature of this crime, and those that have followed 
it in Georgia, in Michigan, in the District of Columbia, and in other 
places throughout the country, the Congress has shown precious little 
leadership in exploring ways to help prevent mayhem in our schools.
  Last May, in response to the Columbine shooting, this Senate passed 
the Juvenile Justice bill by an overwhelming bipartisan majority of 73-
25. Despite this strong show of bipartisan agreement, the legislation 
is bogged down in a morass of election year politics. Despite the fact 
that the American people are crying out for some leadership on this 
issue, the Congress is proving itself to be uncaring, if not 
irrelevant.
  There is plenty of controversy to go around anytime any measure comes 
before the Congress which deals with gun violence. We have all heard 
repeatedly the cautionary slogan chanted by some, ``guns don't kill 
people, people kill people.'' But increasingly in recent years it has 
been children who are wielding guns against their classmates. Perhaps 
the slogan should be changed to ``guns don't kill children, children 
kill children.'' Sadly, that slogan now has the ring of reality, but, I 
doubt that anyone will be lobbying for gun rights with those words 
imprinted on their lecture.
  The Senate-passed legislation contained a number of important 
provisions to not only crack down on violent juvenile offenders, but 
also to reduce the potential for weapons to fall into the hands of 
children who may not understand all of the dangers that the weapons 
pose.
  The Senate legislation is a compromise between the rights of the 
individual to keep and bear arms and the safety of the public to be 
protected from those who should not have those guns. The bill would 
require that every handgun sold must have a trigger safety lock or 
secure container. It would require background checks on all buyers at 
gun shows. The legislation would ban the youth possession of 
semiautomatic assault weapons and their high-capacity ammunition clips. 
And it would bar anyone convicted of a violent felony as a juvenile 
from possessing a gun. These are commonsense provisions on which I hope 
parents and gun owners alike could agree.
  Last week, the Nation's leading gun manufacturer, Smith & Wesson, 
imposed upon itself many of the provisions contained in the Senate 
version of the Juvenile Justice bill, including trigger locks and 
background checks. If Smith & Wesson can see the wisdom of balancing 
public safety with private ownership rights, why can this Congress not 
do the same?
  The last time--and, in fact, the only time--that the conference 
committee on the Juvenile Justice legislation met was last August. Time 
is of the essence. I urge the conferees on both sides of the hill to 
meet and to settle their differences. The longer they wait, the longer 
the delay, the better the chances are that some further tragedy will 
come along and steal the lives of more innocent children. We might make 
a difference. We might save a life. Why not have the courage to try?
  Mr. President, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the 
quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator may proceed.
  Mr. BREAUX. Mr. President, I am pleased to follow the distinguished 
Senator from West Virginia, who always has most interesting remarks. I 
am pleased to associate myself with his comments as well.

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