[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21157]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         OUR LADY OF PEACE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 15, 2002

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4757, 
the ``Our Lady of Peace Act''--sensible and much-needed gun safety 
legislation. I thank my colleague, Representative Carolyn McCarthy, for 
bringing this bill to our attention. In facilitating a more accurate 
and complete database of people who are ineligible to purchase 
firearms, the Our Lady of Peace Act would bring greater safety and 
security to our streets and into our homes.
  This bill would require that a greater number of federal and state 
records that are pertinent to determining firearms transfer and 
possession eligibility be made accessible through the National Criminal 
Instant Background Check System (NICS). It is incumbent that we do all 
we can to ensure that such a database is as thorough as possible in 
order to prevent criminals from buying guns.
  We seem to be increasingly reminded of the fear and tragedy that guns 
can help cause in our society. As lawmakers, we must do all we can to 
ensure that assault weapons and handguns are kept off the street and 
that only law-abiding citizens have access to firearms for hunting and 
sport. This bill is a step in that direction, and I urge my colleagues 
to vote for it.

                          ____________________