Congressional Record—Senate S8926
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S8926 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE July 25, 1996 support literacy programs through the AN INCOMPREHENSIBLE, IRRESPONSIBLE, not yet know if there are culprits be- appropriations process and through ef- BAFFLING BOONDOGGLE FOR THE NRA hind it who must be brought to justice. forts to promote the achievement of (By Senator Paul Simon) But we do know that the lives of fine literacy in their communities. Advanc- Buried in the annual Defense Department people have been lost before their time. ing literacy initiatives is a crucial in- authorization bill is an outrageous gift of $77 Mr. President, six people with close vestment in our future. · million that will benefit something called ties to Michigan died in this crash. the Corporation for the Promotion Rifle f They were Courtney Johns, an 18-year- Practice and Firearms Safety. old Bloomfield Hills Marian High This corporation is the new ``private'' in- TRIBUTE TO ALEX MANOOGIAN, School graduate, headed for Paris on 1901±96 carnation of the old National Rifle Associa- tion-backed Civilian Marksmanship Pro- an exchange program. Dr. Ghassan and · Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, on July gram. This program was intended to make Mrs. Nina Haurani, citizens and par- 10, Michigan lost one of its greatest sure people could shoot straight in case they ents in Grosse Pointe Shores, starting citizens, a very humble man of great entered the military. In recent years, how- a brief European vacation. Celine Rio, wealth, an immigrant who embodied ever, it has simply funneled cash, weapons an 11-year-old French girl returning to all that is good about America, a man and ammunition to private gun clubs, her home after a 3-week visit as part of of 95 years who still had plans to make thanks to the power of the NRA. Until a fed- a national cultural exchange program. life better for people. eral judge ruled it unconstitutional in 1979, gun clubs which participated in this program Tracy Anne Hammer, a doctoral stu- Alex Manoogian came to this country were required to be NRA members. dent in veterinary science and microbi- in 1920 to escape the oppression of the Under public pressure to eliminate this ology at Michigan State University, Armenian people. A few years after his useless and wasteful program, Congress who was to give a speech on cardiac arrival, he founded what is today one ``privatized'' the program last year. disease in doberman pinschers before a of Michigan's most successful business In fact, the corporation is private in name professional audience. And Elaine firms, Masco Corporation. But it is the only. When the corporation becomes fully Loffredo, a Michigan native who gave rest of the story that made Alex operational in October of this year it will be given by the Army: up a career in nursing for the excite- Manoogian a giant, not only in Michi- 176,218 rifles the Army views as outmoded, ment of air travel. gan but in the United States and in the but valued at $53,271,002. Mr. President, these people touched world, as well. Computers, vehicles, office equipment and the hearts of many around them, in He touched the lives of young people other related items valued by the Army at Michigan and elsewhere. Courtney with educational facilities here and $8,800,000. Johns was a class leader in high school abroad. Cultural and educational insti- 146 million rounds of ammunition valued who was headed to Villanova Univer- tutions in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Armenia by the Army at $9,682,656. sity in the fall. She leaves behind and Jerusalem welcomed his generous $5,332,000 in cash. That totals $77,085,658. grieving friends and a family dev- endowments. If Armenians suffered in Our friends in the National Rifle Associa- astated by the loss of this young, America, his adopted land, or in his tion strongly back this measure and it ap- promising life. Ghassan and Nina homeland of Armenia, he was there to pears to be a boondoggle for them. Haurani were known in their commu- help. He founded the Armenian General What the Army should do with outmoded nity as loving parents and good neigh- Benevolent Union to address the catas- weapons is to destroy them. Our government bors. Termed ``joyous, giving people,'' trophes that befell his people. has a theoretical policy that it does not sell they, too, leave behind them grieving The Supreme Patriarch and federally owned weapons to the public. The friends and a family that will miss Civilian Marksmanship Program violates Catholicos of All Armenians came from this policy, and the new corporation would them terribly. Tracy Anne Hammer, Yerevan to preside at the funeral of continue to violate it. traveling with her mother, was well on Alex Manoogian. He described him as a Why we should be subsidizing rifle prac- her way to a promising career, was, in- Christian, an Armenian and an Amer- ticeÐwhich is the theory behind thisÐbaffles deed to launch that career in France, ican. A Christian, whose deep faith me. Hardly any of those who will use the when she was taken from us, her fam- kept him involved in the church for 80 weapons will enter into the armed forces. ily and friends. Celine Rio, a young girl of his 95 yearsÐand he built St. John's The Defense Department did not request on the edge of adolescence, had learned Armenian Church in Southfield, MI, this. I had never fired a rifle or handgun before about America and had gained a second one of the most glorious edifices in our entering the Army, and with minimal train- family in the Winters, her exchange community with its golden dome that ing I became a fair-to-good marksman. program hosts. Now the Winters and glows in the sunlight. An Armenian, Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey and her many other friends in America who never forgot the persecution of his I tried to eliminate this incomprehensible must join family and friends in France people and the need to continue to expenditure from the bill and we got only 29 in lamenting the loss of this young touch their lives. An American, who votes for our amendment. The NRA still has spirit. And Elaine Loffredo, who found loved this country passionately and power. such joy in air travel and in the people who gave back much, much more than We should be reducing the numbers of weapons in our society, not increasing them. she metÐI am told that meeting Moth- he ever took. A government policy of destroying weap- er Theresa was a highlight of her ca- I loved meeting with Alex ons and not selling outmoded guns to the reerÐwas taken from her husband and Manoogian. He spoke simply, elo- public is sound. other family and friends, by this explo- quently and with great intensity about While rifles are not the primary weapons sion. those things that mattered to him. I for crimeÐpistols areÐsome of those 176,000 Mr. President, these were fine people, will always cherish our many discus- weapons will get into the hands of people leading fine lives until they were taken sions. We will all miss him.· who should not have them. If 1 percent reach from us. I know I speak for my entire someone who is irresponsible, that is 1,760 f weapons. State of Michigan when I tell families and friends of those we have lost that BOONDOGGLE FOR THE NRA Let me in advance extend my sympathy to the families of the people who will be killed we share their loss, and that our · Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, the Sen- by these weapons. The will be needless vic- thoughts and prayers are with them.· ate recently approved a Defense au- tims of this folly.· f thorization bill for fiscal year 1997 that f includes an indefensible allotment of WHITEWATER INVESTIGATION tax dollars to a slightly camouflaged MEMORIALIZING MICHIGAN WAS A COSTLY PARTISAN GAME version of the earlier Civilian Marks- VICTIMS OF TWA FLIGHT 800 · Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, the Spe- manship Program. · Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, on be- cial Committee To Investigate I have written on this subject in a half of Michigan I would like to express Whitewater Development Corporation column that is sent to newspapers in my deep regret at the loss of several And Related Matters recently trans- Illinois, and I ask that it be reprinted Michigan residents who lost their lives mitted its final report. here to call the attention of my col- in the explosion of TWA Flight 800 near I have written about this costly, par- leagues to this questionable line item. New York. We still do not know what tisan game in a column that is sent to The column follows: happened to flight 800, and therefore do newspapers in Illinois, and I submit it.