ALREADY BEEN DECIDED BY THE VOTE OF THE SENATE. BUT UNDER THIS
           RULE, EACH SENATOR -- MYSELF NOW BEING THE ONE ON THE FLOOR --
           HAS AN HOUR TO DISCUSS THE REASON FOR MY VOTE ON THIS ISSUE.
           BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS IT EVEN THOUGH THE
           VOTE HAS OCCURRED BECAUSE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE NEED TO
           UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DID. I TRIED IN VERY FEW BRIEF MINUTES,

           THANKS TO THE CONSIDERATION OF THE MINORITY LEADER, WHO WAS
           KIND ENOUGH TO ALLOW ME THREE MINUTES OF HIS
           
           TIME TO DO THIS PRIOR TO 9:45 WHEN WE HAD THE VOTE WHICH WAS
           AGREED TO BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT, I TRIED TO POINT OUT WHAT WE
           WERE ABOUT TO DO. APPARENTLY NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE WERE
           LISTENING. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT AGAIN WHAT WE DID. THE
           HOUSE PASSED H.R. 1501 AND SENT IT HERE. THAT IS A CULTURAL
           BILL. IT ALLOWS THE DISPLAY OF TEN COMMANDMENTS IN SCHOOLS. IT

           ALLOWS INDIVIDUAL RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION. IT ALLOWS PRAYER AT
           SCHOOL MEMORIAL SERVICES. AND IT ALLOWS FAITH-BASED GROUPS TO
           COMPETE FOR GOVERNMENT JUVENILE JUSTICE GRTS. A GOOD BILL. THE
           PURPOSE OF THAT BILL WAS TO MAKE A STATEMENT ABOUT JUVENILES
           THAT PERHAPS THE ISSUE IS NOT GUNS, BUT RATHER A CULTURAL
           PROBLEM IN OUR SCHOOLS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS. AND IT WAS A
           WELL-THOUGHT-OUT BILL. WHEN THAT BILL CAME HERE TO THE SENATE,

           I TRIED TO GET A VOTE UP OR DOWN ON IT. BUT BECAUSE OF
           PROCEDURES BY THOSE WHO FELT THAT THE BILL SHOULD NOT BE
           PASSED, I COULDN'T DO IT. I WAS SHUT OUT BY THE SO-CALLED
           LEGISLATIVE TREE HERE, PARLIAMENTARY TREE, WHERE A SUBSTITUTE
           WAS -- AMENDMENT WAS PUT IN SO THAT I COULD NOT OFFER THIS BILL
           AND GET A VOTE ON IT. SO NOW THE NEXT OPTION IS HERE COMES GUN
           CONTROL, THE SENATE PROVISIONS. SO WE HAVE A HOUSE BILL AND A

           SENATE BILL. THE SENATE BILL IMPOSES STRICT LIMITS ON GUN
           SHOWS. IT IMPOSES -- IT REQUIRES THE SALE OF TRIGGER LOCKS WITH
           GUNS AND IT PUTS NEW LIMITS ON JUVENILE GUN POSSESSION, THE
           KINDS OF JUVENILES THAT SENATOR CRAIG JUST SPOKE ABOUT. YOUNG
           TEENAGERS WHO PERHAPS MIGHT LIKE TO GO HUNT ORGANIZE SPORT
           SHOOTING OR WHATEVER. NEEDLESS RESTRICTIONS ON LAW-ABIDING
           AMERICAN CITIZENS, YOUNG AND OLD. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
           UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENED. THIS NOW WAS

           SUBSTITUTED FOR THIS AS A RESULT OF THE VOTE THAT WE JUST HAD.
           SO NOW THIS WILL GO TO CONFERENCE, AND SOMEONE SAID A SHORT
           TIME AGO, OR QUITE SOME TIME AGO THAT IF YOU SAW H HOW LAWS AND
           SAUSAGE WERE MADE, YOU'D PROBABLY GET SICK AND WOULDN'T WANT A
           PART OF EITHER ONE. THERE'S A LOT OF TRUTH TO THAT. I'VE NEVER
           HAD CONFIDENCE IN THOSE WHO SAY WE'LL CLEAN THIS UP IN
           CONFERENCE OR WE'LL GET A GOOD BILL OUT OF CONFERENCE, LET THE

           CONFEREES WORK THEIR WILL. THIS IS GUN CONTROL. THIS IS A
           VIOLATION OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT. WE JUST VOTED BY A VOTE OF
           77-22 TO PUT MORE GUN CONTROL ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. LET'S
           JUST CALL IT WHAT IT IS. BECAUSE WHEN THIS THING COMES OUT OF
           CONFERENCE, IT'S GOING TO HAVE GUN CONTROL. AND WE'LL SEE WHO'S
           RIGHT ON THAT ONE. DURING THE SENATE'S CONSIDERATION OF S. 254,
           I WAS VERY UPSET THAT THE GUN CONTROL LOBBY IN THIS COUNTRY
           TOOK ADVANTAGE OF A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY, AND THEY DID A GOOD JOB

           OF IT. THIS WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL TIME, A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY, AND
           THE GUN CONTROL PEOPLE CAME DOWN HERE AND THEY USED IT TO THE
           HILT, AND THEY SCARED A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF. AND WHAT HAPPENED AT
           LITTLETON WAS A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY, AND PEOPLE USED THIS HERE ON
           THE SENATE FLOOR AND THEY MOUNTED AN UNPRECEDENTED ASSAULT ON
           THE SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF LAW-ABIDING AMERICAN GUN OWNERS.
           NOT ONE LAW-ABIDING AMERICAN CITIZEN HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH
           COLUMBINE. NOT ONE. NOT ONE-LAW ABIDING AMERICAN CITIZEN. NOT

           ONE GUN OWNER WHO IS A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN. NOT ONE JUVENILE
           WHO IS A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN. THEY CAST THE BLAME ON THE
           LAW-ABIDING GUN OWNER WHILE LEAVING THE MOVIE MOGULS WHO
           PROMOTE VIOLENCE TO CHILDREN, BY THE WAY, THEY LEAVE THEM
           UNSKAIGD. NO MENTION. THE PROBLEM IS GUNS, THEY SAID. NOT THE
           CULTURE. IT'S INTERESTING, ISN'T IT?
           WE TAKE PRAYER OUT. WE TAKE VALUES OUT -- OUT OF THE SCHOOLS.
           WHAT COMES IN?

           VIOLENCE, DRUGS, CONDOMS. HELLO, AMERICA. WAKE UP. BUT IT WAS
           WELL DONE. IT WAS WELL ORCHESTRATED. IT SCARED OFF ENOUGH
           PEOPLE. IT SCARED OFFHE 19 OR SO VOTES THAT WE NEEDED TO BLOCK
           CLOTURE ON THIS BILL. THE HOUSE DID THE RIGHT THING, MR.
           PRESIDENT. WE DID THE WRONG THING. WE NEED TO TAKE A HARD INTRO
           SPECK ALTERNATIVE LOOK AT OUR NATION'S CULTURE. THIS BILL DID
           THAT. THIS BILL DOES NOT DO THAT. WE SEE VIDEO GAMES DESIGNED
           FOR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT GLORIFY VIOLENCE. AND I WOULD SAY TO THE
           AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE TAKING A FEW MOMENTS TO LISTEN,

           TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE VIDEO GAMES THAT YOUR KIDS ARE LOOKING AT.
           TAKE A LOOK AT THEM. TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE WATCHING ON
           THE INTERNET. TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE MOVIES THAT THEY'RE
           GOING OUT TO EROL'S AND BRICK HOME AND WATCHING AFTER YOU GO TO
           BED. YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THEM AND SEE WHAT'S GOING
           ON IN YOUR LIVES AND IN YOUR CHILDREN'S LIVES. THEY GLORIFY
           VIOLENCE. THEY INVITE CHILDREN TO ENGAGE IN FANTASY KILLINGS.
           THEY NEVER SHOW YOU THE OPPOSITE, THOUGH. WHEN SOMEBODY IS SHOT

           IN ONE OF THESE VIDEO GAMES, THEY DON'T MENTION THE FACT THAT
           THIS PERSON WHO IS KILLED MAY HAVE A FAMILY. THEY DON'T TALK
           ABOUT THAT. YOU ONLY SEE THE GLORIFICATION OF VIOLENCE. WE SEE
           UNCON KHONABLY -- UNCON CIONABLY KILLINGS SUCH AS BASKETBALL
           DIARIES IN WHICH KILLINGS BEAR A RESEMBLANCE TO THE LITTLETON
           MASSACRES T. DOESN'T MEAN EVERY KID THAT WOULD WATCH THAT KIND

           OF MOVIE WOULD DO THAT. SOME KIDS CAN HANDLE IT. SOME CAN'T. SO
           WHY EXPOSE IT TO THEM. WE SEE MOVIES SUCH AS THAT OF THE
           SO-CALLED MARILYN MANSON CHARACTER THAT GLORIFY MURDER, SODOMY.
           AS A MATTER OF FACT, PLATINUM RECORDS, BIG SALES ON THOSE
           RECORDS GLORIFYING MURDER, SUICIDE AND SODOMY. OUR KIDS ARE
           LISTENING TO THIS IN AMERICA, AND WE GLAIM GUNS. WE BLAME GUNS.
           Y JUST BLAME GUNS WITH THIS VOTE. WE SEE THE MARKET OF OF

           VIOLENCE IN MANY FORMS OVER THE INTERNET. TO BE SURE, MR.
           PRESIDENT, EVERY CHILD ISN'T GOING TO GO TO SCHOOL AND MURDER
           HIS CLASSMATES OR HIS TEACHER BECAUSE HE WATCHES OR PLAYS SOME
           VIDEO GAME OR LISTENS TO VIOLENT MUSIC, BUT SOME ARE GOING TO
           BE INFLUENCED BY THAT CULTURE. I HAD A SHOTGUN NEXT TO MY BED
           FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER -- EIGHT OR NINE YEARS OLD. KNEW
           HOW TO USE IT. I WAS TRAINED TO USE IT IN THE PROPER WAY. NEVER
           THOUGHT ABOUT GOING TO SCHOOL AND USE IT ON ANYBODY. NEITHER
           DID ANY OF MY CLASSMATES WHO ALSO HAD SHOTGUNS. I REMEMBER

           HEARING IT SAID WHEN I GREW UP THAT IF YOU READ GOOD BOOKS,
           GOOD THINGS MIGHT HAPPEN. BY THE SAME TOKEN, IF A YOUNG PERSON
           WATCHES A BAD FILM OR PLAYS AN EVIL VIDEO GAME, BAD THINGS MAY
           HAPPEN. WHY TAKE A CHANCE?
           BUT, OH, NO, IT'S MUCH EASIER TO DO THIS, ISN'T IT?
           BLAME THE GUN. BLAME THE GUN. BLAME SOMEBODY ELSE. DON'T LOOK
           IN. DON'T LOOK IN AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN AMERICA. WAKE UP,
           AMERICA BEFORE IT TOFS TOO LATE. THIS IS THE SECOND AMENDMENT

           TO THE CONSTITUTION THAT WE JUST VIOLATED. IT'S NOT GUNS THAT
           CAUSE THIS VIOLENCE. IT'S INTERESTING, THE FIRST GUN I WOULD
           PROBABLY ACCEPT CAME OVER ON A SHIP PROBABLY IN 1607. MOST
           LIKELY SOMEBODY HAD A GUN COMING INTO JAMESTOWN. FOR 375 WE HAD
           NO SCHOOL SHOOTINGS. NOT ONE. NOW WE HAVE GUN CONTROL, 40,000
           LAWS, ACCORDING TO SENATOR CRAIG, IN AMERICA. AND NOW WE HAVE
           SCHOOL SHOOTINGS. HELLO?
           ANYBODY LISTENING?
           WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

           IS IT GUNS?
           IF IT IS, HOW COME WE DIDN'T HAVE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS FOR 375
           YEARS WHEN EVERYBODY HAD A GUN?
           I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE -- I BELIEVE WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE
           NEWS MEDIA. THE NEWS MEDIA, THEY HAVE A DISTRESSING TENDENCY
           HERE TO ENGAGE IN SENSATIONALISM. THE MINDLESS -- AND IT IS
           MINDLESS -- PURSUIT OF GREATER RATINGS RINGS. ON APRIL 20, THIS

           YEAR, WHEN THE CHILDREN CAME TUMBLING OUT THE COLUMBINE HIGH
           SCHOOL, BLOOD ON THEIR CLOTHES, SOME OF THEM WOUNDED, CRYING,
           WHAT HAPPENED?
           MICROPHONES IN THEIR FACE. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO WITNESS YOUR
           CLASSMATES' DEATH?
           DID HE SAY ANYTHING AS HE DIED?
           YOU KNOW WHAT THEY NEEDED WHEN THEY CAME OUT OF THAT HIGH
           SCHOOL, MY FELLOW AMERICANS?
           THEY NEEDED A HUG. YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE REALLY MADE ME FEEL GOOD?
           IF ONE OF THOSE NEWS MEDIA HAD LAID DOWN THE MICROPHONE AND

           LAID DOWN THE CAMERA AND WALKED UP TO ONE OF THOSE KIDS AND PUT
           HIS ARMS AROUND HIM OR HER ARMS AROUND HIM AND SAID, "I'M
           SORRY, WE LOVE YOU." BUT, OH, NO, WE CAN'T DO THAT. WE'VE GOT
           TO GET RIGHT IN THE FACE WITH THE MICROPHONE AND THE CAMERA AND
           SENSATIONALIZE THIS KIND OF VIOLENCE, AND THEN WE BLAME GUNS.
           WHEN ARE WE GOING TO WAKE UP AMERICA BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE?
           THIS BILL ADDRESSED THIS, TRIED TO. YOU CAN'T ADDRESS THESE

           KINDS OF THINGS WITH LAWS, BUT YOU CAN AT LEAST MAKE AN
           ATTEMPT. YOU TAKE THESE THINGS OUT OF THE SCHOOLS, AND THE KIDS
           DON'T HAVE ANY CHOICE. THEY CAN'T PRAY. THEY CAN'T TALK ABOUT
           VALUES. TEACHERS TRY TO COMFORT THEIR KIDS BY -- IF SOMEBODY
           GETS KILLED BY SAYING A PRAYER, AND THE TEACHER GETS FIRED. AND
           WE TAKE AWAY GUNS AND BLAME GUNS. H.R. 1501 DECLARES THAT STATE
           AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE THE POWER TO DISPLAY THE TEN
           COMMANDMENTS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE PUBLIC
           SCHOOLS TO POST THOSE TEN COMMAND MANAGEMENT. DOES ANYONE

           SERIOUSLY ARGUE THAT THE PUBLIC DISPLAY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
           IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL WOULDN'T HELP KIDS AT LEAST THINK A LITTLE
           BIT?
           THEY DO REPRESENT THE MORAL FOUNDATION OF OUR ENTIRE
           CIVILIZATION. ANYBODY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH "THOU SHALT NOT KILL"?
           ANYBODY HAVE A PROBLEM K "THOU SHALT NOT STEAL, THOU SHALL NOT
           BEAR FALSE WITNESS. HONOR THY MOTHER AND FATHER." ANYBODY HAVE

           A PROBLEM WITH THOSE. IS THAT GOING TO THREATEN WESTERN
           CIVILIZATION TO PUT THOSE UP ON THE WALL OF A SCHOOL?
           REALLY. COME ON. H.R. 1501 -- THIS BILL -- DECLARES THE
           EXPRESSION OF RELIGIOUS FAITH BY INDIVIDUAL SPERNS PROTECTED BY
           THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. THIS PROVISION WOULD
           ALLOW GREATER FREEDOM FOR INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS TO EXPRESS THEIR
           RELIGIOUS FAITHS, WHATEVER IT IS, AS WELL AS TO ORGANIZE AND
           PARTICIPATE IN STUDENT-LED RELIGIOUS ACTSIVITIES IN PUBLIC
           SCHOOLS. DOES ANYONE SERIOUSLY BELIEVE THAT GREATER RELIGIOUS

           FREEDOM IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS WOULD NOT IMPROVE THE CULTURAL
           ENVIRONMENT IN THESE SCHOOLS?
           YOU KNOW, WE SPEND MORE TIME TRYING TO DENY RELIGION AND VALUES
           IN OUR SCHOOLS. WE SPEND MORE TIME DOING THAT THAN WE SPEND
           WITH OUR OWN KIDS. THINK ABOUT IT. IF WE SPENT AS MUCH TIME
           WITH OUR KIDS AND LOVING OUR KIDS AS WE DO TRYING TO DENY THEM
           THESE KINDS OF THINGS, WE MIGHT HAVE A BETTER AMERICA. BUT
           LET'S GO BACK AND BLAME GUNS. THAT'S WHAT WE DID HERE. WE JUST

           BLAME GUNS. WE PUT GUN CONTROL AND SUBSTITUTED IT WITH THIS.
           FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS CAN COMPETE FOR GOVERNMENT GRANTS
           UNDER THIS BILL. DOES ANYONE DOUBT THAT INVOLVING FAITH-BASED
           ORGANIZATIONS IN JUVENILE JUSTICE WOULD IMPROVE OUR NATION'S
           JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM?
           THESE CULTURAL APPROACHES TO SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF YOUTH
           VIOLENCE OFFER GREAT PROMISE. THIS BILL OFFERS GREAT PROMISE.

           THIS BILL OFFERS GUN CONTROL. THIS IS THE COWARD'S WAY OUT, MR.
           PRESIDENT. THIS IS THE OSTRICH VOTE. PUT YOUR HEAD IN THE
           STAND, BLAME THE GUN. DON'T DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE. WE WOULDN'T
           WANT TO HAVE TO DO ANYTHING THAT'S CONTROVERSIAL AS PERHAPS
           POSTING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN A SCHOOL. I WAS DISAPPOINTED
           DURING THE SENATE'S CONSIDERATION OF THIS BILL, MR. PRESIDENT.
           I WAS DISAPPOINTED, FRANKLY, IN SOME OF MY CONSERVATIVE
           COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE, SOME OF MY PROGUN CONSERVATIVE

           COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE. I'M DISAPPOINTED. WE HAD A CHANCE TO
           STOP THIS. I SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS
           AS WE DEBATED S. 254 ARGUING PRIVATELY WITH THESE COLLEAGUES
           AND TRYING TO PERSUADE THEM TO HOLD THE LINE AGAINST THIS
           ONSLAUGHT OF MORE GUN CONTROL. GUN SHOWS. YOU KNOW WHAT THE
           GOAL IS HERE?
           IT'S NOT INSTANT BACKGROUND CHECKS. IT'S THE ELIMINATION OF GUN
           SHOWS. ELIMINATE THE SHOWS. DON'T ALLOW ANY GUN SHOWS. AFTER

           ALL, PUNISH THE LAW-ABIDING AMERICAN WHO COMES TO A GUN SHOW,
           AS MILLIONS DO ALL ACROSS AMERICA EVERY YEAR. PUNISH THEM.
           THAT'S THE EASY THING TO DO. DON'T DEAL WITH THIS. DON'T DEAL
           WITH THE CRIMINAL. PUNISH THE PEOPLE WHO GO TO GUN SHOWS, THE
           LAW-ABIDING AMERICAN CITIZENS. YOU SAY, WELL, WHAT ABOUT IF
           SOMEBODY -- A BAD PERSON GETS
{END: 1999/07/28 TIME: 10-45 , Wed.  106TH SENATE, FIRST SESSION}