Frank Lautenberg: “The majority leader--like my name--is frank, and I appreciate that candor. Because, if we are talking about the stalking…”

“The majority leader--like my name--is frank, and I appreciate that candor. Because, if we are talking about the stalking bill here that passed the Senate that is over in the House, it carries an amendment by me that says wife beaters, child beaters, spouse abusers should not have a gun. Apparently there is an objection. "We are concerned about that. We want to give those guys guns. What did they do? Beat up their wives? That is not a crime." One judge said, "I hate to give a noncriminal a criminal sentence." One judge was so tough that he gave a man who murdered his wife in Baltimore County 18 months with time to be served on weekends. He murdered his wife. The judge said, "I do not like to really punish someone like the criminals. They are not really a criminal. All they did"--he did not say this. I am saying it. "All he did was murder his wife." So I am asking for my amendment and that bill to be carried along, and now suddenly I hear that has something to do with the approval of judges, which now has us tangled up in appropriations bills. I think it is pitiful that someone would object as we saw here last night; the Senator objected to an order that the minority leader requested and refused to answer a question--refused, turned around and walked out. This place is deteriorating into a sorry condition. But I know the majority leader is working on it.”