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Late Breaking News |
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| Date: July 21, 1998 7:53 pm Contact: Handgun Control Robin Terry of Handgun Control Inc., 202-218-4641 or 800-465-0187 (pager) |
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Latest News Releases
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Sarah Brady Statement on Republican Leadership in U.S. Senate Squashing Legislation to Protect Kids from Guns | ||
| WASHINGTON - July 21 - Following is a statement by Sarah Brady, chair of
Handgun Control Inc., today on the Republican leadership in the U.S. Senate squashing
legislation to protect kids from guns: "The recent spate of school yard shootings have shown us what can happen when children have unbridled access to guns. And many more tragedies involving kids and guns happen every day, but never appear on the front page. We lose more than 400 young people ages 19 and under to unintentional shootings every year; many more die in gun suicides. Child safety locks on guns can prevent many of these senseless deaths. "That is why it is so appalling that the U.S. Senate today voted (61-39) to table proposed legislation sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), which would have required child safety locks to be sold with every handgun in the United States. Offered as an amendment to the fiscal year 1989 Commerce, State, Justice Appropriations Bill, this common-sense measure to protect kids from guns fell victim to the NRA's stronghold over the Senate leadership. "In fact, Sen. Larry Craig, who sits on the NRA's Board of Directors, offered a toothless alternative amendment, which will do nothing to improve gun safety and provided many members of the Senate with a smokescreen to disguise their votes against children's safety. Mr. Craig's amendment, which passed 72-28, simply requires gun dealers to make gun locks available for sale, but does NOT require that they are sold with every handgun. This amendment is a face-saving measure, which will have no impact because most gun stores already carry gun locks as part of their standard inventory. "It is unconscionable that as our nation is still in mourning over the loss of so many innocent children to gun violence this year, the Senate leadership is kow-towing to the gun lobby and turning its back on the 86 percent of the American public that supports this legislation. "When will our nation's leaders recognize that we all have a role to play in preventing gun injury and death among our children? Gun owners must lock up guns out of children's reach; non-gun- owning parents must make sure their children never play in homes where guns are left accessible; and the gun industry must do its part to encourage proper gun storage by selling locks with all handguns and working harder to make guns that are more childproof. "As the November elections approach, many members of the Senate will be hard-pressed to explain their votes to the people they claim to represent. When it came to a choice between children and the gun industry, they rejected children and sided with the gun industry. Shame!" ------ Handgun Control Inc. (HCI), chaired by Sarah Brady, is the nation's largest citizens' gun control lobbying organization. Based in Washington, D.C., HCI works to enact stronger federal, state and local gun control laws, but does not seek to ban handguns. Founded in 1974, HCI has more than 400,000 members nationwide and works with local groups around the country to enact and protect reasonable gun control laws. More information about HCI and its affiliated organization, the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, can be found on their Web site at http://www.handguncontrol.org. -0- |
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