[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 16081]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         GUNS AND TEEN SUICIDE

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, we often rise on this floor to speak on the 
subject of gun violence and what we can do to prevent it. The debate 
frequently centers on how we can keep guns out of the hands of 
criminals and what penalty is appropriate for using a gun to commit a 
crime. While the importance of these debates cannot be overstated, 
these discussions all too often ignore a second related and equally 
important issue--gun-related suicide.
  According to statistics from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun 
Violence, most gun deaths in America are not the result of murder, but 
suicide. The numbers are particularly shocking for young people. 
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 1993 
through 1997, an average of 1,409 young people took their own lives 
with guns each year. The connection between access to guns and suicide 
is particularly strong. In fact, The Brady Campaign reports that the 
presence of a gun in the home increases the risk of suicide fivefold.
  While this problem cannot simply be legislated away, trigger locks 
and other sensible gun safety measures can help limit children's access 
to firearms. It is clear that reducing our kids' access to guns can 
save lives.

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