Remarks on Signing the Brady Bill November 30, 1993
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Administration of William J. Clinton, 1993 / Nov. 30 2477 our institutional and constitutional order. But nors to possess handguns, and I thank you we showed the world that we have begun for that, sir. to mature in our society. In Guatemala we've Senator Metzenbaum, Congressman Schu- begun to learn what the democratic society mer, Senator Mitchell; and others who gave is and means. This has been done incredibly birth to this great effort; to all the law en- peacefully, and I say ``incredibly'' because of forcement representatives, the Governors, the antecedents in our country. And we have the mayors, the folks from Handgun Control been able to get out of a political crisis, which who are here; to the families whose lives was very difficult, between the three would have been changed for the better if branches of Government, with an agreement the Brady bill had been law; Mrs. Musick which was the best one possible for our peo- and my friend Cathy Gould and her children, ple, because the constitutional changes for Lindsey and Christopher who lost a husband the first time have taken place without a coup and father who would be here today if the d'etat. The interruption of the constitutional Brady bill had been law, I am honored to mandate of the Congress and the supreme have all of you here in the White House. I court is going to be corrected by the purest also want to say a special word of thanks to expression of democracy, that is, a popular the Members of Congress who were out election. Therefore, I gave the example of there early on this, when there was some Guatemala, excuse me for that, but I think considerable political risk either attached to our problems are the worst. And I think that it or thought to be attached. The Brady bill the rest of the region also has given signs was first introduced almost 7 years ago by of consolidating the democratic system. Congressman Ed Feighan of Ohio on Feb- So there was no conditionality; quite the ruary 4th, 1987. I can't resist saying a special opposite. What we had was total backing of word of thanks to the Members who come a proposal and a desire for the United States from difficult districts who voted for this bill. to continue helping us consolidate our de- My good friend and Congressman, Beryl An- mocracies, fragile in some cases, more con- thony, from Arkansas lost a tough race in solidated in other cases, but continue to work 1992 and part of the reason was that he voted for the sake of consolidating peace. for the Brady bill. And the NRA came after President Clinton. Thank you. him in an unusual election. He said to me on the way in here, he said, ``If it cost my NOTE: The President's 36th news conference seat, it was worth it.'' began at 11:22 a.m. in the East Room at the White Everything that should be said about this House. In his remarks, he referred to Anthony has already been said by people whose lives Lake, Assistant to the President for National Secu- are more profoundly imbued with this issue rity Affairs. President De Leon spoke in Spanish, than mine. But there are some things I think and his remarks were translated by an interpreter. we need to think about that we learned from this endeavor as we look ahead to what still needs to be done. Remarks on Signing the Brady Bill Since Jim and Sarah began this crusade, November 30, 1993 more than 150,000 Americans, men, women, teenagers, children, even infants, have been Thank you very much, Sarah and Jim and killed with handguns. And many more have General Reno, Mr. Vice President, Mrs. been woundedÐ150,000 people from all Musick. Thank you for your wonderful re- walks of life who should have been here to marks. share Christmas with us. This couple saw There were two Members of Congress through a fight that really never should have who inadvertently were not introduced. I had to occur, because still, when people are want to recognize them because they've confronted with issues of clear common played a major role in this. One of our Demo- sense and overwhelming evidence, too often cratic leaders in the House, Steny Hoyer and we are prevented from doing what we know Senator Herb Kohl from Wisconsin, who also we ought to do by our collective fears, what- sponsored the bill to make it illegal for mi- ever they may be. VerDate 08-JUN-98 09:20 Jun 10, 1998 Jkt 010199 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 1244 Sfmt 1244 W:\DISC\P48NO4.030 INET01 PsN: INET01 2478 Nov. 30 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1993 The Brady bill has finally become law in known, a former gang member who has a fundamental sense not because of any of turned his life around and now coordinates us but because grassroots America changed a program called gang alternative programs its mind and demanded that this Congress in Norwalk, California, telling gang members not leave here without doing something they have to take personal responsibility for about this. And all the rest of usÐeven Jim their actions and turn away from violence; and SarahÐdid was to somehow light that Reverend William Moore, who organized spark that swept across the people of this parents and educators and other clergy in country and proved once again that democ- north Philadelphia to provide safety corridors racy can work. America won this battle. for kids going to and from schoolÐ160,000 Americans are finally fed up with violence children stay home every day because they're that cuts down another citizen with gunfire scared to go to school in this countryÐand every 20 minutes. all the police officers on the street who have And we know that this bill will make a dif- restored confidence in their neighborhoods, ference. As Sarah said, the Washington Post becoming involved in ways that often are way pointed out that about 50,000 people have beyond the call of duty, people like Officer been denied the right to buy a handgun in Anthony Fuedo of Boston, who took a tough just four States since 1989. Don't let anybody section of east Boston and transformed it tell you that this won't work. I got a friend from a neighborhood full of fear to one which back home who sold a gun years ago to a elderly people now feel safe sitting on bench- guy who had escaped from a mental hospital, es again. that he hadn't seen in 10 years. And he pulled We can do this but only if we do it to- out that old form from the 1968 act and said, gether. And I ask you to think about this: ``Have you ever been convicted of a crime? I come from a State where half the folks have Have you ever been in a mental hospital?'' hunting and fishing licenses. I can still re- The guy said, no, no and put the form back member the first day when I was a little boy in the drawer. And 12 hours later six people out in the country putting a can on top of were dead, and my friend is not over it to a fencepost and shooting a .22 at it. I can this day. Don't tell me this bill will not make still remember the first time I pulled a trigger a difference. That is not true. It is not true. on a .410 shotgun because I was too little But we all know there is more to be done. to hold a .12 gauge. I can remember these The crime bill not only has 100,000 new po- things. This is part of the culture of a big lice officers who, properly trained and de- part of America. But people have taken that ployed, will lower the crime rate by prevent- cultureÐwe just started deer seasonÐI live ing crime, not just by catching criminals. It in a place where we still close schools and also has a ban on several assault weapons, plants on the first day of deer season, nobody long overdue; a ban on handgun ownership is going to show up anyway. [Laughter] We and restrictions on possession of handguns just started deer season at home and a lot by minors; the beginning of reform of our of other places. We have taken this important Federal firearms licensing systems; and an part of the life of millions of Americans and effort to make our schools safer. This is a turned it into an instrument of maintaining good beginning. And there will be more to madness. It is crazy. Would I let anybody be done after that. change that life in America? Not on your life. But I ask you to think about what this Has that got anything to do with the Brady means and what we can all do to keep this bill or assault weapons or whether the police going. We cannot stop here. I'm so proud have to go out on the street confronting teen- of what others are doing. I'm proud of the agers who are better armed than they are? work that Reverend Jesse Jackson has been Of course not. doing, going back now to the streets and talk- This is the beginning of something truly ing to the kids and telling them to stop shoot- wonderful in this country if we have learned ing each other and cutting each other up, to separate out all this stuff we've been hear- and to turn away from violence.