[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9202]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    DEALING WITH VIOLENCE IN AMERICA

  (Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, environmental awareness has created an 
awareness of the urgency of collective action to save our planet. We 
need a similar commitment to dealing with violence in America. Would 
that the tragic events in Blacksburg, Virginia, which took 33 lives, be 
an isolated example of the effects of gun violence in America.
  In fact, about 32 people perish each and every day in America in 
handgun-related incidents. The level of violence in our society 
constitutes a national emergency. I am offering the following approach 
to change America's direction, away from death and disintegration and 
towards life and social cohesiveness. First, passage of legislation to 
create a Cabinet level Department of Peace and Nonviolence, H.R. 808; 
second, passage of H.R. 676 to create Medicare for all, not-for-profit 
health care system focusing on mental health care issues; and, third, a 
ban on handguns, legislation which I am currently drafting.
  America is being engulfed in violence every day. Let's show that we 
have the wisdom and the courage to come from our hearts to meet this 
challenge.

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