Political Quotes

“over the last several Congresses, we've debated the get-tough approach versus the prevention and treatment approach to addressing juvenile crime. This measure reflects the advice of the researchers and expert practitioners who are unanimous on the point that more resources are needed for appropriate individually tailored responses to juvenile crime. The measure before us is not a one-size-fits-all approach but a substantive bipartisan approach that actually will reduce crime and delinquency where it occurs, and that's why we all support it. However, my view is that juvenile justice is also about gun safety. I understand clearly that the sponsors of the bill have valid concerns that introducing the issue of gun violence into the debate would foster differences of view and jeopardize good legislation. They are correct that the Republican leadership bottled up this bill in a conference committee last year largely in an effort, I am told, to avoid addressing gun violence. But I believe that preventing juvenile crime is about thwarting easy access to guns, just as much as it is about prevention programs and services for at-risk youth. Ten children a day are killed by gun violence. The shooters at Columbine High School were provided a gun largely because of the lack of any background check by licensed sellers at gun shows. We continue to witness unspeakable horrors every week as children open fire on their classmates. You all read and see them weekly.…”