Political Quotes

“I too support H.R. 2829, the Bulletproof Vest Grant Partnership Act. Our law enforcement officers deserve every protection available. Mr. Speaker, 62 percent of the officers killed in the last 10 years were not wearing bulletproof vests. This program helps police in every jurisdiction, large and small, to purchase body armor. In the face of the epidemic of gun violence in this country, there are, in fact, things we can do, and I sincerely hope that this legislation sparks other congressional action to make our law enforcement officers and the communities they serve safer. One area that I hear from law enforcement officials in my community is the access of crooks to getting body armor themselves. Another area deals with the safe storage of guns. Guns are kept in nearly half the homes in America, and a large percentage of these gun owners keep their guns loaded and ready for use. A million and a half children have access to guns when they get home from school every day. We can do more to ensure that children learn the lesson early that guns are dangerous and should be stored safely in lockboxes. The children accused of killing their classmates in Jonesboro, AR, tried to open a lockbox with a blow torch and failed, only to find other guns that were unlocked. If all of the guns had been locked away, these children may have gotten discouraged and their classmates and teacher might still be alive.”