September 29, 2004 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H7741 able to finish its work even then. ment Reform; and (2) one motion to recom- ever, D.C.’s homicide rate rose by more Truly, this has been a do-nothing Con- mit with or without instructions. than 200 percent by 1991, while during gress. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. the same period, the national homicide Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance ISAKSON). The gentleman from Wash- rate rose by just 12 percent. It is clear of my time. ington (Mr. HASTINGS) is recognized for that this misguided and overly restric- Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 hour. tive gun ban has not only failed to de- back the balance of my time, and I Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. crease violent crime in the District of move the previous question on the res- Speaker, for the purpose of debate Columbia, but it may have contributed olution. only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to its increase. We have a chance today The previous question was ordered. to the gentleman from Massachusetts to do something about that. The resolution was agreed to. (Mr. MCGOVERN), pending which I yield So accordingly, Mr. Speaker, I urge A motion to reconsider was laid on myself such time as I may consume. my colleagues to support both the rule the table. During consideration of this resolu- and the underlying bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of f tion, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. my time. STAND UP FOR THE SANCTITY OF (Mr. HASTINGS of Washington asked Mr. MCGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I MARRIAGE and was given permission to revise and thank the gentleman from Washington extend his remarks.) for yielding me the customary 30 min- (Mr. GINGREY asked and was given utes, and I yield myself such time as I permission to address the House for 1 Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 803 is a may consume. minute and to revise and extend his re- Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to closed rule providing for the consider- marks.) the so-called District of Columbia Per- ation of H.R. 3193, the District of Co- Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I rise sonal Protection Act and to this closed today to commend this House for hav- lumbia Personal Protection Act. The rule. ing the courage to protect the sanctity rule provides 1 hour of debate in the Mr. Speaker, today the Republican of marriage. House, equally divided and controlled leadership is, once again, letting the In today’s society, we find ourselves by the chairman and ranking minority American people down by considering constantly fending off attacks aimed at member of the Committee on Govern- the wrong bill at the wrong time under the foundation of our Nation. Whether ment Reform. the wrong circumstances. Once again, it is those that would take ‘‘in God we The rule waives all points of order we are considering legislation in the trust’’ off of our currency or ‘‘one Na- against consideration of the bill, and shadow of the November elections. tion under God’’ out of our Pledge, we provides that the amendment printed With 5 weeks to go until Election Day, must stand up for the basic tenets on in the report of the Committee on the Republican leadership has put the which this Nation was founded. Rules accompanying this resolution country’s agenda on hold in order to This week, Mr. Speaker, we continue shall be considered as adopted. Finally, force an unnecessary vote on a bad and our fight to defend one of the most the rule provides one motion to recom- stupid bill. Once again, the Republican basic institutions of our Nation: the mit, with or without instructions. leadership is catering to the special in- traditional family. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3193 is a bipartisan terests at the expense of the public It is true that the recognition of the measure sponsored by the gentleman good; and once again, the Republican family unit has traditionally been a from Indiana (Mr. SOUDER). The bill leadership is squandering the House’s State issue; but with the recent on- has 228 cosponsors from across the very limited time with this foolish, slaught against the traditional family country, including 44 Democrats. misguided, election-year legislation. in our Nation, I believe it is now time The bill simply permits law-abiding Mr. Speaker, we are just one day for the Federal Government to act de- citizens of the District of Columbia to away from the end of the fiscal year, cisively. own firearms, a right currently denied and only one, and I repeat, one, appro- As a cosponsor of H.J. Res. 106, I en- them by act of the D.C. City Council. priation bill has been sent to the White courage my colleagues to stand up in The Nation’s capital has the toughest House. Not only are the remaining 12 appropriations bills left on the table, defense of the traditional family and in laws and regulations in the country not only has the House failed to com- defense of traditional marriage be- prohibiting gun ownership by citizens. plete consideration of all of the appro- tween one man and one woman. This bill would repeal the most onerous of those laws, thereby permitting indi- priations bills, but the Republican f viduals to protect themselves and their leadership, which controls both Houses PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION families in their own homes and other- of Congress, cannot even agree upon a OF H.R. 3193, DISTRICT OF CO- wise enjoy privileges of gun ownership budget. LUMBIA PERSONAL PROTECTION comparable to those enjoyed by most Mr. Speaker, the Republican leader- ACT American citizens. ship cannot get its act together on the This bill would not affect any laws highway bill, a bill that would create Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. thousands of good-paying jobs. The Re- Speaker, by direction of the Com- currently aimed at criminals and would place strict penalties on crimi- publican leadership cannot find the mittee on Rules, I call up House Reso- time to work on a bill to increase the lution 803 and ask for its immediate nals who use guns to commit crimes. In addition, all penalties are doubled for minimum wage, even though wages are consideration. stagnant and over 4 million Americans The Clerk read the resolution, as fol- illegal possession of a firearm in a ‘‘gun-free zone’’ within 1,000 feet of a have fallen out of the middle class and lows: into poverty since George Bush became school, day care center, college, or var- H. RES. 803 President. And the Republican leader- ious youth facilities such as swimming ship cannot even get its act together Resolved, That upon the adoption of this pools and video arcades. Possession or resolution it shall be in order without inter- on the Department of Defense author- use of a firearm while committing a vention of any point of order to consider in ization or the FSC/ETI bill, each of crime of violence would remain punish- the House the bill (H.R. 3193) to restore sec- which has languished in conference for able by up to 30 years in prison with a ond amendment rights in the District of Co- months. lumbia. The bill shall be considered as read minimum 5 years served before eligi- Mr. Speaker, as the House takes up for amendment. The amendment printed in bility for parole or probation. this frivolous legislation today, the Re- the report of the Committee on Rules accom- Mr. Speaker, some have suggested publican leadership has yet to act on panying this resolution shall be considered that passage of H.R. 3193 may lead to as adopted. The previous question shall be the recommendations of the 9/11 Com- an increase in violent crime, but I have mission report. considered as ordered on the bill, as amend- to say that the facts suggest otherwise. ed, to final passage without intervening mo- b 1045 tion except: (1) one hour of debate on the Before the D.C. City Council imposed a bill, as amended, equally divided and con- handgun and home-defense ban in 1976, Although the other body is working trolled by the chairman and ranking minor- D.C.’s homicide rate had been declin- on legislation to implement the 9/11 re- ity member of the Committee on Govern- ing. After the ban was instituted, how- port and the Democratic leader of this VerDate Aug 04 2004 02:43 Sep 30, 2004 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K29SE7.009 H29PT1 H7742 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 29, 2004 House has introduced legislation that This bill will make the District of I just wanted to speak on another addresses the report’s recommenda- Columbia a more dangerous place to issue, if I can just for a minute. An ear- tions, here we are today wasting pre- live, to work and to study. lier speaker mentioned the FBI and cious time that could be used to debate Although Members of this body may funding, and I just wanted to make the 9/11 report’s recommendations. Will disagree on gun issues, surely, we can sure the record, since the CONGRES- it take another September 11 anniver- all agree that the citizens of the Dis- SIONAL RECORD is supposed to be a fac- sary before the Republican leadership trict of Columbia should not have to tual document, to let the Members will act? Will we see the Republican face fully-loaded assault weapons on know on both sides, since September leaders’ bill before the election? Will their streets, in their neighborhoods 11, 2001, the Committee on Appropria- we have to wait until after November and around their schools.