I do not want to in any way misrepresent the amendment that is been offered by Senators Kennedy and Smith. I think the statements I have made to date are accurate. The Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act that is before us, the…

I believe he is a person of good faith who will genuinely try to find a common ground. I sincerely hope he will. I listened to his explanation of his amendment on this issue, and I really think it comes down to a classic debate, which has…

If the Senator will look closely at the Kennedy-Smith amendment, he will find before the Federal cause of action can be initiated--as I understand it, but I defer to either of the major sponsors--before there can be a Federal indictment…

Under the 13th amendment, Congress may prohibit hate crimes based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, or national origin, pursuant to that amendment. Under the 13th amendment, Congress has the authority not only to prevent the…

the last item I want to address today is relative to a suggestion by the Vice President of the United States to create what is known as a Medicare lockbox. There have been many suggestions made during the course of this Presidential…

the reason these names are being read is to share with my colleagues in the Senate the fact that this is not just another issue. The issue of gun safety and gun violence in America is an ongoing tragedy, a tragedy which we will read about…

I am also concerned about another issue which has become very timely. It is related to recent statements by officials in Russia concerning Russia's view of the Baltic countries. I have a personal interest in this. My mother was born in…

I have spoken about the drug problems in America and this issue of foreign policy. But there is another issue which is a continuing concern across America. It is the fact that this Senate and Congress have failed to act on the problem in…

I commend my colleague for bringing this issue to our attention. I think it is particularly timely that he would raise this on the floor of the Senate. In a trip to Africa just a few months ago, I discovered the ravages of the AIDS…

I commend my colleague from the State of Wisconsin. He is a person of principle. He comes to the floor of the Senate and reminds Members, whether in support of or in opposition to the death penalty, it is fundamental to the American system…

We have not only addressed the major legislative issues bottled up and stalled in this Republican Congress--gun safety legislation, Patients' Bill of Rights, prescription drug benefits, increasing the minimum wage. We should listen as well…

Amusement parks. Think about the situation and wonder how in the world can we have a safer America if we have this proliferation of guns that is, obviously, supported by Governor Bush, as well as the National Rifle Association. Democrats…

at the National Rifle Association convention, when it was brought up as an issue that so many young people are killed every single day by gunfire in America, in addition to those who are not so young, the people at the National Rifle…

One of the concerns in the State of Illinois and in the city of Chicago continues to be gun violence. This is still a phenomenon which is almost uniquely American and which is tragic in its proportion. To think we lose 12 or 13 children…

There is no doubt in the mind of any Member of the Senate that Senator Thurmond would volunteer again, as he just promised that he would. I thank the Senator again. S.J. Res. 46 Whereas on June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress…

a little over a year ago in Littleton, CO, at Columbine High School, there was a shooting incident which shocked America. We saw in that high school an event which we did not believe could happen in the United States, where students could…

It is interesting in this debate how the roles have been switched. It used to be not that long ago the Democrats were faulted for being fiscally irresponsible, too liberal when it came to tax and spend. In this debate over the future of…

I have worked in and around legislatures in the Congress for most of my life, over 30 years. I understand what being in the minority means. That means we usually lose. That is part of the business. I also believed when I was elected to the…

For those who have not followed this debate closely, it is true that we are not debating the passage of a law; we are debating the passage of a resolution which is more or less a message of the Senate expressing its opinion. Why aren't we…

I am honored to share the same position on this issue with my colleagues, Senator Kennedy and Senator Boxer. As Senator Boxer noted earlier, at the Million Mom March in Washington, there were several members of Senator Kennedy's family who…

I think this issue is an important national issue in this Presidential campaign because I think what you hear from two candidates is a clear difference when it comes to dealing with sensible gun laws and gun safety. Vice President Gore…

April 20, 1999. And if I am not mistaken, 12 or 13 high school students were killed, and more were injured during the course of that time. America was fixed on this event as no other event, despite all the gun violence, when we consider it…

the issue of nuclear waste is an important one in my home state of Illinois. More than half the electricity generated in our state comes from nuclear power plants. We have an extraordinarily large amount of nuclear waste in our state. We…

One of the issues pending is a Tax Code issue called the marriage tax penalty. What it boils down to is that a number of people in this country, when they go to get married, their combined incomes on a joint return puts them in a higher…

Most people, when they think of a crime victim, can obviously identify the victim of an assault or battery or robbery, of course. In a murder situation, does the victim of the crime include the family of the murder victim? You might think…