[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21388]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             LOSING GROUND

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, it has been nearly a month since Republican 
congressional leadership and the President allowed the assault weapons 
ban to expire. This lack of action made it potentially easier for 
criminals and terrorists to acquire 19 previously banned assault 
weapons that could be used to harm innocent Americans. Adding insult to 
injury, the House of Representatives last week passed legislation that 
would make families in the Nation's capital even more susceptible to 
gun crime.
  The misnamed District of Columbia Personal Protection Act, which 
passed the House last week, would repeal a local law in Washington, DC 
that bans the sale and possession of unregistered firearms, requires 
firearm registration, imposes commonsense safe storage requirements, 
and bans semiautomatic weapons in the District. Should this bill become 
law, tourists and especially those who live and work in our Nation's 
capital will face a considerably greater threat of gun violence.
  According to the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence, this bill 
would roll back gun laws in D.C. to a point that it would be legal to 
possess a loaded assault rifle on city streets without a permit. Over 
the strong objections of local leaders, the Republican-controlled House 
made the unwise decision to take up and pass this legislation even as 
we face the increased threat of terrorism. Hopefully the Senate will 
not make the same mistake.
  Unfortunately, instead of making progress on the issue of gun safety, 
we seem to be retreating. Instead of strengthening laws that would help 
prevent future gun crimes and terrorist attacks, they are being 
weakened giving potential criminals and terrorists easier access to 
weapons that have no place on our streets. I will continue to work 
toward reversing this course and toward passing sensible gun safety 
legislation that will make our communities more, instead of less, safe.

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