On the recordMarch 22, 1996
Mr. Speaker, I just want to state that through this whole debate, gun control is not crime control. Here in Washington, where the possession of handguns are illegal, you can walk right out that Capitol Hill door and you see windows that have bars on them in homes and businesses, and, to me, it is highly reflective that the wrong people are behind bars. People are living in fear in this town. What this is about is giving citizens the opportunity to defend themselves from the real thugs. It is the thugs, it is the criminals, who pull the trigger. We should have greater deterrence to go after them. That is what this bill does.
Source
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