Senate the Senate Met at 9:30 A.M
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 113 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 159 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 2013 No. 48 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was ator from the State of Hawaii, to perform nearly 80 rounds from an automatic called to order by the Honorable BRIAN the duties of the Chair. weapon, spraying bullets over the park- SCHATZ, a Senator from the State of PATRICK J. LEAHY, ing lot and into an IHOP restaurant Hawaii. President pro tempore. that was packed with customers for Mr. SCHATZ thereupon assumed the breakfast. He killed four people in- PRAYER chair as Acting President pro tempore. stantly, wounded seven others, and The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- f then he took his own life after that. That took 85 seconds. In those 85 sec- fered the following prayer: RECOGNITION OF THE MAJORITY onds, 5 lives ended, and countless more Let us pray. LEADER O Holy God, friend unseen, we lean were altered forever. on Your everlasting arm. Help our Sen- The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- Three Nevada Army National ators throughout life’s changing sea- pore. The majority leader is recog- Guardsmen were on their way to work sons. When they are discouraged, fill nized. that morning: 31-year-old SFC Miranda them with Your faith. When they are f McElhiney, 38-year-old SFC Christian Riege, and 35-year-old MAJ Heath oppressed, empower them to persevere SCHEDULE with Your might, for You are our Kelly. Florence Donovan-Gunderson, strength, our rock, our all. Remind Mr. REID. Mr. President, following who was eating breakfast with her hus- them that any effort You require of leader remarks the Senate will resume band, was also killed—murdered. them will ultimately have a positive consideration of the gun legislation. In 85 seconds, Carson City joined the effect. Give them the spirit of wisdom The time until 11 a.m. will be equally likes of Tucson, AZ, Fort Hood, TX, so that they will know You better. divided and controlled between the two Blacksburg, VA, Columbine, CO, and Lord, guide them so that they will find leaders or their designees. At 11 o’clock scores of other cities and towns in a way to unite in producing creative there will be a cloture vote on a mo- America rocked by mass shootings in legislation. tion to proceed to S. 649, which is the recent decades. And as were those We pray in Your gracious Name. gun safety legislation. other cities and towns, Carson City was Amen. If cloture is invoked, I hope we can left asking, Why? Maybe we will never reach an agreement to begin debate on know. f the bill today. We have people waiting The gunman had been diagnosed ear- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE in the wings to offer amendments. The lier with schizophrenia. He had been in- first amendment that will be offered is voluntarily committed by law enforce- The Honorable BRIAN SCHATZ led the one that has been being negotiated for ment officials to a mental institution. Pledge of Allegiance as follows: quite some time between Senator He recently confided to a priest that I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the MANCHIN and Senator TOOMEY and Sen- voices he heard in his head told him to United States of America and to the Repub- ator KIRK. I have had calls from my Re- lic for which it stands, one nation under God, continue to do bad things. A lot is not indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. publican colleagues indicating they clear. have some amendments they want to What is clear is how the shooter ob- f offer. So let’s get on the bill. Let’s not tained two assault rifles, two hand- APPOINTMENT OF ACTING waste 30 hours. I hope that can happen guns, and almost 600 rounds of ammu- PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE so we can start legislating today. nition he took to the IHOP that day. I don’t know—no one really knows— The PRESIDING OFFICER. The f what happened. It is not clear what clerk will please read a communication GUN SAFETY happened. Where did he get those weap- to the Senate from the President pro Mr. REID. Mr. President, life can ons—two assault rifles, two handguns, tempore (Mr. LEAHY). change in a moment. In Carson City, and about 600 rounds of ammunition The assistant legislative clerk read NV, a little over a year ago—actually, that he took with him to the parking the following letter: time goes quickly; it was in September lot to start shooting people? U.S. SENATE: of 2011, September 6—shortly before 9 Even though all of that is not clear PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE, o’clock in the morning, a deeply dis- in terms of how he obtained those as- Washington, DC, April 11, 2013. To the Senate: turbed man with an automatic weapon sault weapons, this much is clear: We Under the provisions of rule I, paragraph 3, stepped out of his car outside of a Car- have a responsibility to do everything of the Standing Rules of the Senate, I hereby son City, NV, restaurant. In the few in our power to keep guns out of the appoint the Honorable BRIAN SCHATZ, a Sen- brief seconds that followed, he fired hands of those who suffer from mental ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S2571 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:57 Apr 12, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A11AP6.000 S11APPT1 pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S2572 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 11, 2013 illness. I think it is clear we mean se- violence or respecting Americans’ sec- handgun for protection; a cousin loan- vere mental illness. Within our fami- ond amendment rights. I also respect ing another cousin his hunting rifle if lies we all have individuals who have those who want to weaken the laws the loan occurs just 1 day before the periods of time when they are de- that now exist. They have a right to beginning of hunting season; or one pressed. We must keep weapons out of try to do that. But three soldiers—Mi- neighbor loaning another a firearm so the hands of those with illnesses that randa, Christian, and Heath—and Flor- his wife can protect herself while her make them a danger to themselves and ence, who was not a soldier but was one husband is away. others. We have a responsibility also to of those killed—deserve some atten- The people I am describing are not keep the guns out of the hands of tion. There were seven people who were criminals—they are neighbors, friends, criminals—convicted felons. hurt as a result of these bullets as well and family—and the scenarios I am de- The measure before the Senate today as those killed. That was a terrible day scribing are not fanciful. They happen would institute universal background in Carson City. Each one of them de- countless times in our country. But the checks that would prevent people with serves a thoughtful debate, and they Schumer bill would outlaw these trans- severe mental illness from buying fire- deserve votes. fers and it would make people such as arms—those with severe mental illness; f these criminals. I want to make sure we stress that— But there are other problems with and criminals. This legislation would RECOGNITION OF THE MINORITY the legislation from the Senator from also crack down on anyone who buys a LEADER New York. Under his legislation, it is a gun to funnel it to criminals and it The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- crime for someone who lawfully pos- would give schools the resources to im- pore. The Republican leader is recog- sesses a firearm not to report a lost or prove security to keep children safe. nized. stolen firearm to both the ‘‘appropriate This bill won’t stop every madman f local authorities,’’ whoever they are, determined to take innocent lives. I and the Attorney General within 24 GUN SAFETY know that. We all know that. Nor is hours. People should report firearms this bill the only suggestion to prevent Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, that are lost or stolen, but are we real- gun violence. In the coming days we today the Senate will vote on whether ly going to make their failure to do so will debate other proposals to make to invoke cloture on proceeding to S. within 24 hours a Federal crime that is Americans safer. 649. I will vote against invoking cloture punishable by up to 5 years in prison? An assault weapons ban will be de- and I wish to explain why. What if the person thinks the firearm bated and voted on. Improvements to I believe the government should is misplaced, not lost or stolen, but the our mental health system will be de- focus on keeping firearms out of the person is actually wrong about that? bated and voted on. A ban on high-ca- hands of criminals and those with men- And what if the person comes to the re- pacity clips such as those used to kill tal issues that could cause them to be alization after 2 days instead of 1, and four people in Carson City at the IHOP, a threat to our society. The govern- if they report the lost or stolen firearm and how the man in Columbine, CO, ment should not punish or harass law- to their sheriff—assuming he is one of was able to get a magazine with 100 abiding citizens in the exercise of their the undefined ‘‘appropriate local au- bullets in it—that is the only reason second amendment rights.