STATEMENT OF REP. CHARLES E. SCHUMER (D-NY) CHAIRMAN, HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE News Conference December 8, 1993 GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I AM SAD TO SAY THAT THIS PRESS CONFERENCE IS SO TERRIBLY TIMELY. IT WAS PLANNED FAR IN ADVANCE OF THE HORRIBLE KILLINGS LAST NIGHT. BUT IT UNDERSCORES THE HARD FACT AT THE HEART OF OUR EPIDEMIC OF HANDGUN VIOLENCE. THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE AT LARGE, SICK WITH ALL KINDS OF POISONS. THE COMBINATION OF THOSE POISONS AND READILY AVAILABLE HANDGUNS IS EXPLOSIVE. IT CAUSES THE KIND OF CARNAGE THAT TORE THROUGH THAT LONG ISLAND COMMUTER TRAIN LAST NIGHT. IT CAUSES THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HANDGUN MURDERS THAT HAPPEN EVERY YEAR. NOW I WANT TO LOOK EVERY GUN OWNER IN AMERICA IN THE EYE AND ASK THEM. WOULD YOU MIND A LITTLE INCONVENIENCE IF IT WILL PREVENT THE KIND OF KILLINGS WE SAW LAST NIGHT? I WANT EVERY ONE OF THEM TO SEARCH THEIR HEARTS, AND THEN TO TELL THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION: I DON'T MIND A LITTLE INCONVENIENCE. I WANT HANDGUN VIOLENCE BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL. I WANT TO TELL THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THIS LYING DOWN. I WANT TO ASSURE THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS ON LONG ISLAND THAT WE CAN STOP THIS VIOLENCE. WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TELL THEM HOW. I WANT THE NRA TO HEAR THIS, TOO. DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME TODAY THAT WE DON'T NEED TO DO MORE. DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL THE SEA OF GUNS DROWNING THIS COUNTRY. AND DON'T YOU DARE TELL THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO SURVIVED THAT TRAIN OF HORRORS LAST NIGHT THAT WE CANÕT DO MORE. HERE IS WHAT SHE SAID THIS MORNING ON THE TELEVISION, WORD FOR WORD: "I'M STILL IN SHOCK THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE" ANYWHERE. THINK OF THE CHILLING MEANING OF THAT WORD. ANYWHERE. THAT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IS THE HORROR OF HANDGUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA TODAY. IT CAN HAPPEN . . . ANYWHERE. WE ONCE HAD ZONES OF PEACE AND SAFETY IN OUR LIVES. NO MORE. HANDGUN VIOLENCE HAS TAKEN THEM ALL AWAY FROM US. 30 YEARS AGO, OUR PARKS WERE TAKEN FROM US. 20 YEARS AGO OUR STREETS WERE TAKEN FROM US. 10 YEARS AGO OUR SCHOOLS. 5 YEARS AGO OUR HOMES. LAST YEAR OUR CARS. THIS YEAR OUR PLACES OF WORSHIP. AND LAST NIGHT EVEN OUR PEACEFUL DAILY TRAVELS. THIS IS TERRORISM, HERE IN AMERICA. IT'S NOT IN BEIRUT, OR BOSNIA, OR SOMALIA. IT'S HERE. IT'S ON LONG ISLAND, THE VERY PICTURE OF TRANQUIL SUBURBAN LIFE. IT CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE. LAST NIGHT'S MADNESS KILLED AND WOUNDED MY NEIGHBORS IN NEW YORK. THEY WERE NOT STATISTICS. THEY WERE REAL PEOPLE, WHOSE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS GRIEVE FOR THEM TODAY. TODAY IT MAY BE IMAGES OF PEOPLE ON A TELEVISION SCREEN. BUT TOMORROW IT MAY BE SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY. IT MAY BE YOUR WIFE, OR YOUR HUSBAND, OR YOUR PARENTS -- OR, GOD FORBID, YOUR CHILD. ARE WE REALLY POWERLESS TO STOP THIS RAGING INSANITY? THAT IS WHAT PERSON AFTER PERSON ASKED ME AS I CAME DOWN FROM NEW YORK THIS MORNING. THEY WERE FILLED WITH FEAR AND ANGER. WHAT CAN WE DO? THEY ASKED. ARE WE REALLY CAPTIVES OF THESE LITTLE ENGINES OF DESTRUCTION, THESE DEADLY PIECES OF STEEL? I SAY WE ARE NOT. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO SIT ANDTAKE. WE CAN DO MORE THAN JUST WAVE OUR HANDS. WE DO NOT HAVE TOLIVE WITH THIS INSANITY, TO JUST ÒPUT UPÓ WITH IT. THE PEOPLE OFAMERICA WANT CONTROL OVER HANDGUNS. THEY WANTED THE BRADY LAW.THEY WANT MORE GUN CONTROL. AND WE CAN GIVE THEM THAT CONTROL. SO, JIM AND SARAH BRADY AND I ARE HERE TO SAY THIS: THE FIGHT AGAINST HANDGUN VIOLENCE IS NOT OVER. WE HAVE JUST BEGUN TO FIGHT. YES, WE WON A TOUGH BATTLE THIS YEAR. JIM AND SARAH, RICHARD ABORN AND THEIR HARD-WORKING COLLEAGUES AT HANDGUN CONTROL DESERVE ALL OF OUR THANKS FOR THE WONDERFUL JOB THEY DID IN THAT FIGHT. THE OPPOSITION TO THE BRADY LAW WAS TOUGH. JIM AND SARAH BRADY WERE TOUGHER. THE COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE WE ARE UNVEILING TODAY IS EVEN TOUGHER STILL. WE'VE BROKEN OUT OF THE PACK OF SINGLE STEPS AND HALF-MEASURES. THIS IS A VISIONARY MAP OF AN ENTIRE JOURNEY. IT CALLS FOR GIANT STEPS TO MEET A NATIONAL CRISIS. IT RAISES OUR VISION. IT CHALLENGES US TO MAKE THE DREAM COME TRUE -- TO SEE THE DAY WHEN OUR FRIENDS, OUR FAMILIES AND OUR CHILDREN ARE FREE FROM HANDGUN VIOLENCE. AND WE WILL SEE THAT DAY. WE'RE GOING TO HAMMER GUNS ON THE ANVIL OF A RELENTLESS LEGISLATIVE STRATEGY. WE ARE GOING TO BEAT GUNS INTO SUBMISSION. BUT WE'RE NOT KIDDING YOU AND WE'RE NOT KIDDING OURSELVES. THIS AGENDA INVITES A TOUGH FIGHT. WE WON'T WIN OVERNIGHT. BUT WE WILL WIN. RICHARD HAS ALREADY OUTLINED THE PLAN THAT THE BRADYS AND I ARE UNVEILING TODAY. SOME OF THIS PLAN -- LIKE THE ASSAULT WEAPONS AND THE PROHIBITION ON COP-KILLERS -- IS ALREADY MOVING THROUGH THE CONGRESS. AS SOON AS THE HOUSE COMES BACK IN JANUARY, I WILL INTRODUCE THE HEART OF THE PLAN IN A COMPREHENSIVE GUN BILL. THE SCHUMER HANDGUN CONTROL BILL IS AIMED AT DRYING UP THE RIVER OF HANDGUNS THAT IS FLOODING AMERICA. IT IS ESPECIALLY AIMED AT STOPPING THE TORRENT OF GUNS THAT FLOW FROM THE LEGAL WORLD TO THE UNDERWORLD. REMEMBER -- EVERY SINGLE GUN IN AMERICA STARTS OUT AS A LEGAL GUN. THE PROBLEM IS THAT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THEM MOVE FROM LEGAL USES INTO THE HANDS OF VIOLENT CRIMINALS. THERE ARE FOUR MAIN HOLES IN OUR PRESENT SYSTEM. AND GUNS MOVE IN TORRENTS THROUGH THESE HOLES. THEY ARE: ¥ GUN RUNNERS. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO GO TO STATES WITH LAX GUN CONTROL AND BUY HUNDREDS OF GUNS USING FAKE IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS. THEY THEN GO TO OTHER STATES OR CITIES AND SELL GUNS ON STREET CORNERS TO ANYONE WHO COMES ALONG WITH THE CASH. THE PROBLEM HERE IS OBVIOUS. THERE IS NO STANDARD, NATIONAL, SECURE FORM OF IDENTIFICATION IN HANDGUN SALES. THOSE WHO SUPPLY VIOLENT CRIMINALS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. THEY USE EASILY OBTAINED PHONY DOCUMENTS. ¥ STRAW BUYERS -- THESE ARE PEOPLE WITH CLEAN RECORDS WHO STAND IN TO BUY GUNS FOR CRIMINALS AND GUN RUNNERS. THEY OFTEN WORK WITH ROGUE DEALERS. BY THE TIME THE POLICE CATCH UP WITH THE STRAW BUYER, THE REAL GUN RUNNER IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND. ¥ ROGUE GUN DEALERS. THESE PEOPLE ABUSE THEIR FEDERAL FIREARM DEALER LICENSES. THEY SELL THOUSANDS OF FIREARMS TO DRUG GANGS AND VIOLENT CRIMINALS. YET THEY ARE SUBJECT TO SCANT REGULATION. ANYONE WITH TEN DOLLARS TO SPARE AND A LITTLE INGENUITY CAN GET A FEDERAL FIREARMS LICENSE. THAT PIECE OF PAPER ALLOWS THEM TO GET GUNS BY THE TRUCKLOAD, DIRECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING HOLES IN OUR PRESENT SYSTEM. IT IS EASIER TO GET A FEDERAL FIREARMS LICENSE THAN TO GET A DRIVERS LICENSE. THERE ARE OVER 280,000 FEDERALLY LICENSED FIREARMS DEALERS. WE HAVE MORE GUN DEALERS THAN GAS STATIONS. EVEN A SINGLE ROGUE DEALER CAN PUT LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF ILLEGAL GUNS ON THE STREET. INCREDIBLE AS IT MAY SEEM, MANY FEDERALLY LICENSED DEALERS HAVE NO FIXED PLACE OF BUSINESS. THEY HAVE NO SECURE STORAGE. THEY SELL GUNS FROM THE TRUNKS OF THEIR CARS. THEY SELL THEM ON CARD TABLES AT GUN SHOWS. THEY SELL THEM ACROSS THEIR KITCHEN TABLES. THIS IS MADNESS. ¥ GUN THEFT -- GUNS ARE STOLEN ALL TOO OFTEN FROM DEALERS WITH LAX SECURITY MEASURES. THERE ARE NO FEDERAL STANDARDS REQUIRING DEALERS TO HAVE SAFE PLACES TO KEEP FIREARMS. EACH OF THESE METHODS SKATES AROUND, SLIPS UNDER, OR SLIDES THROUGH OUR PRESENT GUN LAWS AND REGULATIONS. BUT WE'VE GOT A TREMENDOUS ADVANTAGE HERE. IT'S AN ADVANTAGE THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN USING. ALL GUNS START OUT IN A LEGAL, ABOVE GROUND TRADE. AND THAT'S A COMMERCE THAT WE CAN REGULATE. GUNS ARE NOT LIKE DRUGS, OR MOONSHINE, THAT ARE CRIMINAL FROM THE START. GUNS ARE PRODUCED ABOVE GROUND. WE CAN TRACE EVERY SINGLE HANDGUN PRODUCED IN AMERICA THROUGH EVERY SINGLE MOVE IT MAKES. WE CAN CLAMP DOWN TO KEEP THEM IN LEGITIMATE USE ABOVE GROUND, AND OUT OF THE HANDS OF CRIMINALS AND THE MENTALLY ILL. WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT INFRINGING ON THE RIGHTS OF LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS. WE CAN DO IT WITHOUT BARRING LEGITIMATE SPORTING USES OR SELF-DEFENSE PURPOSES. BUT WE CAN MAKE DARNED SURE THAT HANDGUNS DON'T GET INTO THE HANDS OF CRIMINALS. WE CAN STOP THIS BLOODY TRAFFIC IN GUNS AS TOOLS OF VIOLENT CRIME. WE CAN PLUG THESE CHANNELS OF GUN VIOLENCE. WE CAN SHUT THEM DOWN. WE CAN TIE THEM OFF. HERE'S HOW THE SCHUMER HANDGUN CONTROL BILL DOES THAT. FIRST, LICENSING. THE SCHUMER HANDGUN CONTROL BILL REQUIRES THAT ALL HANDGUN BUYERS POSSESS A NATIONAL HANDGUN CARD, A NATIONAL LICENSE. THIS CARD WILL BE ISSUED AFTER A THOROUGH BACKGROUND CHECK, INCLUDING FINGERPRINTS. IT WILL BE REGULARLY RENEWED. THIS NATIONAL HANDGUN CARD DIRECTLY ATTACKS THE FAKE IDENTIFICATION THAT THE GUN RUNNERS NEED TO PLY THEIR TRADE. SECOND, REGISTRATION. TO TRACK THE MOVEMENT OF HANDGUNS AFTER THEIR FIRST LEGAL SALE, THE SCHUMER HANDGUN CONTROL BILL REQUIRES THAT ALL HANDGUN TRANSFERS BE REGISTERED WITH THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS. THOSE WHO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS SHOULD REMEMBER --- WE DO THIS WITH AUTOMOBILES, WITHOUT INFRINGING ON ANYONE'S RIGHTS. THIRD, DEALERS LICENSING REFORMS. THE SCHUMER HANDGUN CONTROL BILL GETS MUCH, MUCH TOUGHER ON THE STANDARDS FOR ISSUING FEDERAL FIREARMS DEALERS LICENSES. AND WE WILL REQUIRE THOSE WHO BECOME DEALERS TO MEET MUCH HIGHER STANDARDS OF CARE AND RESPONSIBILITY. FEDERALLY LICENSED FIREARMS DEALERS SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE PARTNERS IN PUBLIC SAFETY, NOT ANYONE WHO WALKS IN OFF THE STREET. THEY SHOULD BE PARTNERS -- NOT ADVERSARIES -- IN HELPING STEM THE FLOW OF GUNS. THEIR LICENSES SHOULD BE FORFEIT TO KEEPING THIS PUBLIC TRUST. THE SCHUMER HANDGUN CONTROL BILL WILL TAKE GIANT STEPS TOWARD FORGING THAT PARTNERSHIP AND ENFORCING THAT TRUST. ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BE A FEDERALLY LICENSED FIREARMS DEALER WILL HAVE TO PASS A STRICT BACKGROUND CHECK. EVERY APPLICANT WILL HAVE TO MEET STATE AND LOCAL REGULATIONS AS WELL AND THOSE WHO PASS THESE CHECKS WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A REAL PLACE OF BUSINESS. THAT PLACE OF BUSINESS WILL HAVE TO MEET HIGH SECURITY STANDARDS. AND BATF WILL BE GIVEN REAL TEETH TO INSPECT GUN DEALERS AND THEIR RECORDS. JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, THE SCHUMER HANDGUN CONTROL BILL WILL MAKE ANY GUN DEALER WHO SELLS A GUN TO A FELON CIVILLY LIABLE FOR DAMAGE TO THE VICTIM OF ANY VIOLENCE DONE WITH THAT GUN. FOURTH, ONE GUN A MONTH. THE SCHUMER HANDGUN CONTROL BILL WILL MAKE ONE HANDGUN A MONTH THE NATIONAL STANDARD. THIS WILL STOP ANY GUN RUNNER WHO DOES MANAGE TO GET A GUN BUYER'S CARD FROM FLOODING THE UNDERGROUND MARKET WITH HUNDREDS OF GUNS. FIFTH, CRACK DOWN ON THEFTS. THE SCHUMER HANDGUN CONTROL BILL IMPOSES STIFF PENALTIES ON GUN THIEVES. IT BEEFS UP ATF ENFORCEMENT. AND IT REQUIRES GUN DEALERS TO TAKE THOROUGH PRECAUTIONS AGAINST THEFT, JUST AS WE PROTECT AGAINST PHARMACEUTICAL. IN SUMMARY, THE SCHUMER HANDGUN CONTROL BILL MANDATES: ¥ THE HANDGUN CARD TO STOP STRAW BUYERS WITH PHONY ID'S. ¥ ONE GUN A MONTH TO STOP GUN-RUNNING. ¥ REGISTRATION ALSO TO STOP GUN-RUNNING AND TRANSFERS TO CRIMINALS. ¥ DEALER REFORM TO KNOCK OUT ROGUE DEALERS. ¥ TOUGH PENALTIES AND SECURITY MEASURES TO STOP THEFT. THERE IS EVEN MORE TO THE SCHUMER HANDGUN CONTROL BILL. IT WILL CLOSE LOOPHOLES THAT ALLOW CONVICTED FELONS TO REGAIN THE RIGHT TO HAVE FIREARMS. IT CREATES A NEW FEDERAL OFFENSE FOR INTERSTATE GUN RUNNING. IT INCREASES PENALTIES FOR MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION OF A FIREARM FROM A LICENSED DEALER. IT INCREASES DEALER LICENSE FEES TO GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE TO PAY THE REAL COST OF ISSUING LICENSES. THESE PROVISIONS ARE AT THE HEART OF THE PLAN WE'RE DESCRIBING TODAY. THEY AREN'T ALL OF IT. SOME OTHER PARTS MAY BE ADDED TO THE SCHUMER HANDGUN BILL. OTHER PARTS WILL BE INTRODUCED SEPARATELY. BUT THE ENTIRE BRADY-SCHUMER PLAN YOU HEARD ABOUT TODAY WILL BE ACTED ON. WE HAVE A LOT TO DO, FOLKS. WHEN CONGRESS COMES BACK TO TOWN, WE WILL FIRST WRAP UP TWO OTHER ITEMS. WE MUST BAN SEMI-AUTOMATIC ASSAULT WEAPONS AND WE MUST BAN THE NEW COP-KILLER BULLETS THAT HAVE APPEARED IN RECENT YEARS. THEN WE WILL TURN FULL FORCE TO THE NEW SCHUMER-HANDGUN CONTROL, INC. AGENDA. NOW . . . LET ME CLOSE WITH A WORD OF HOPE TO ALL AMERICANS. WE ARE NOT ALONE HERE. WE WILL NOT BE ALONE ON THE JOURNEY WE ARE STARTING. AMERICANS FROM NEW YORK TO MIAMI TO LOS ANGELES ARE CHEERING US ON. THEY WANT AN END TO HANDGUN VIOLENCE. THEY WANT THE SCHUMER BILL. THEY WANT THE ENTIRE BRADY-SCHUMER PACKAGE. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT TO THEM. AND IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE SEVEN YEARS. ### Speakers Sarah Brady Chair, Handgun Control, Inc. James Brady Richard Aborn President, Handgun Control, Inc. Congressman Charles Schumer (D-NY) Mayor Wellington Webb Denver, Colorado Chair, U.S. Conference of Mayors' Task Force on Violence and Crime Mayor Rita Mullins Palatine, Illinois Chair, U.S. Conference of Mayors' Subcommittee on Gun Control Mayor Paul R. Soglin Madison, Wisconsin Chair, U.S. Conference of Mayors' Urban Economic Policy Committee Mayor Deedee Corradini Salt Lake City, Utah Member, U.S. Conference of Mayors' Task Force on Violence and Crime Chief of Police (retired) Neil Behan Baltimore County, Maryland Chief Steven Bishop Kansas City, Missouri Police Commissioner-Designate William Bratton New York New York (currently Police Commissioner of Boston, Massachusetts) Chief Laurent Gilbert Lewiston, Maine Superintendent Matt Rodriguez Chicago, Illinois Downloaded from GUN-TALK (703-719-6406) A service of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action Washington, DC 20036 {PB