Gore 2000 Fact Sheet on Gun Safety
To: National Desk, Political Reporter
Contact: Douglas Hattaway of Gore 2000, 615-340-3251;
Web site: http://www.algore2000.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was
released today by Gore 2000:
On safety issue after gun safety issue, George W. Bush marches
in lock step with the NRA and their efforts to prevent sensible gun
control. In fact, in 1997, Bush signed legislation to make it
harder to prosecute people who illegally carry concealed weapons in
places of worship, just two years after Bush ended a 125-year ban
on concealed weapons in Texas.
"I mean, that would be the ultimate wave of evil, wouldn't it?
If people who went to a church or a synagogue didn't feel secure in
their relationship -- in their -- in their peripheral conversations
with an almighty God."
- George W. Bush on the shooting in a Forth Worth church.
(CNN, "Inside Politics," 9/16/99)
AL GORE AND THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECORD FIGHTING CRIME
-- Crime Rate at Lowest Levels in 25 Years
-- Cast the Tie-Breaking Vote to Close the Gun Show Loophole
-- Fought for Legislation to Put 100,000 Community Police
Officers on the Streets
-- San Jose Has Received Funding for More Than 240 Community
Police Officers From 100,000 COPS Program
-- Fought for the 1994 Crime Bill That Banned 19 Types of Deadly
Assault Weapons
-- Praised by Sarah and Jim Brady for His Leadership for
Supporting the Brady Bill
-- Fought to Pass the Gun-Free Schools Act
-- Advocate for Child Safety Locks
KEEPING GUNS OUT OF OUR PLACES OF WORSHIP
BUSH SIGNED LAW TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BRING CONCEALED WEAPONS
INTO PLACES OF WORSHIP
-- In 1997, Bush signed into law a bill that would make it more
difficult for authorities to prosecute Texans who carry concealed
handguns into banned areas such as churches, synagogues, and other
places of worship. The bill prevents prosecution of anyone
carrying a concealed weapon in banned areas unless they are given
specific written or verbal notice that the area was banned. (San
Antonio Express-News, 1/10/96, 2/24/97; HB2909 text; Austin
American-Statesman, 5/28/97, 12/10/97)
-- Notice of Banned Areas Must Follow Specific Guidelines, or
Violator Can't Be Prosecuted. The law stipulated that a notice
consists of: Either a sign posted on the property that says,
"Pursuant to Section 30.06, Penal Code (trespass by holder of
license to carry a concealed handgun), a person licensed under
Article 4413 (29ee), Revised Statutes (concealed handgun law), may
not enter this property with a concealed handgun." The sign must
be written in English and Spanish, feature contrasting colors with
block letter at least 1 inch high and must be visible to the public
or the same language can be put in a "card or other document" and
handed out to each person entering the property. (Austin American
Statesman, 12/10/97)
-- "Churches are being held hostage by a 30.06 - that is,
Section 30.06 of the Penal Code." - Weston Ware of the Texas
Baptist Christian Life Commission on the section of the
Bush-supported 1997 law dealing with concealed weapons in churches.
(Baptist Standard, 4/7/99, www.baptiststandard.com)
BUSH SIGNED NRA-BACKED LAW TO ALLOW CITIZENS TO CARRY CONCEALED
WEAPONS
-- In 1995, Bush signed an NRA-backed bill to allow private
citizens to carry concealed handguns. Bush said, "Texas will be a
better place because of this law." The bill ended a nearly
125-year prohibition of concealed weapons in Texas. (Associated
Press, 5/26/95)
-- More Than 2,000 Concealed Weapons Permit Holders Arrested In
Two Years. From 1996 to 1998, 2,080 Texans with a concealed weapon
permit were arrested by the police in Texas, including 15 for
attempted murder. Felony and misdemeanor charges against concealed
weapons permit holders increased 54 percent in one year -- from 431
in 1996 to 666 in 1997. (Houston Chronicle, 3/23/99; Greensboro
News & Record, 11/29/98)
-- Texas Police Chiefs Association Lobbied Against the Concealed
Weapons Bill. The Texas Police Chiefs Association lobbied against
the bill, and the head of the group said, "This (bill) has no
long-term meaningful value ... and it has great potential to make
things worse." (Houston Chronicle, 3/23/99; Greensboro News &
Record, 11/29/98)
ENSURING FUNDING FOR EFFECTIVE CRIME PROGRAMS
BUSH'S RISKY TAX SCHEME EXCEEDS THE SURPLUS BY NEARLY $1
TRILLION - COULD CUT KEY CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS
-- Bush's risky tax scheme could cause cuts in key programs,
like the 100,000 COPS program. Bush's tax plan spends the entire
non-Social Security surplus and will, in fact, exceed the expected
budget surplus by nearly $1 trillion, according to an independent
study. His tax plan costs nearly $2.1 trillion over 10 years
($1.8 trillion for the time period for which surplus estimates
exist) -- nearly a trillion dollars more than the CBO estimate of an
$893 billion surplus. Bush would have to cut key programs, use
nearly half (41%) the Social Security surplus or return to deficit
spending. (Citizens for Tax Justice, 2/4/00; Maintaining Fiscal
Discipline while Making Key Investments, 2/7/00)
FIGHTING FOR THE NRA
BUSH SUPPORTED NRA-BACKED, LOOPHOLE FILLED AMENDMENT
-- Bush opposed the Senate Democrats' effort to close the gun
show loophole, instead backing an NRA-supported bill filled with
loopholes. Bush, referring to Al Gore's tie-breaking vote, said:
"My Vice President, I suspect, would have helped make sure that the
(NRA-backed GOP) Craig-Hatch amendment would become the amendment."
(Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5/22/99; Boston Globe, 5/18/99)
-- Under Bush, Texas Offered More Opportunities to Buy Weapons
Through the Gun Show Loophole Than Any Other State. Under Bush,
Texas offered convicted felons more opportunities to purchase guns
than any other state through the gun show loophole. Texas led the
country with 472 gun shows in 1998 -- 222 more shows than the state
in second place. Police have testified that some gun shows
advertise that they are not required to perform background checks.
(South Bend Tribune, 2/18/99; San Antonio Express-News, 3/18/99,
4/14/99)
-- Bush Failed to Lead on Mandatory State Checks for Gun Show
Purchases. Shortly after the Littleton, CO school shootings and
just hours after the Texas legislature killed a bill mandating
criminal background checks for purchasers of handguns at gun shows,
Bush announced his support for such background checks. (Houston
Chronicle, 4/27/99)
BUSH OPPOSED AND SAID HE WOULD NOT PUSH FOR MANDATORY TRIGGER
LOCKS
-- Bush has in the past taken the NRA position in opposing
mandatory trigger locks. While he now says he "has no problem with
trigger locks being sold," Bush's campaign has said Bush would not
push for a mandatory trigger lock bill, although he might sign one
as President. (ABC, "GMA," 5/10/99; AP, 3/1/00; Washington Post,
3/3/00)
THE NRA PRAISED BUSH IN A LETTER TO ITS MEMBERS
-- The NRA praised Bush for his pro-gun position in a letter to
its members. The letter from Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice
President of the NRA, said, "Governor Bush believes that America's
first line of defense is to uphold the Second Amendment rights of
those who own guns responsibly ..." The letter also said, "Al Gore
never met a gun-control proposal he didn't like-while Governor Bush
has staked out just the opposite position." (NRA Letter from Wayne
LaPierre)
ENFORCING CURRENT LAWS
UNDER BUSH, TEXAS DIDN'T PURSUE FELONS WHO ILLEGALLY POSSESSED
GUNS
-- The Houston Chronicle reported that under Bush's watch, Texas
authorities found out about hundreds of convicted felons who may
have illegally possessed firearms, but did nothing about it. To
qualify for a concealed weapons permit, an applicant must prove
they have taken a gun safety course; the Houston Chronicle reported
most applicants used their own guns for the training. Federal law
prohibits felons, even those who have completed their sentences,
from possessing guns. Over 600 applicants have been turned down
for a permit in Texas since 1996 because they were felons, but as
of December 1999, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) had
not referred any of the felons to federal or state officials for
prosecution. "I am shocked at the hypocrisy of claiming to support
enforcement of existing gun laws as a solution to gun violence,
while ignoring hundreds of felons in Texas, presumably in
possession of guns illegally, who have essentially turned
themselves in to the state," said Handgun Control Inc.
representative Nina Butts. (Houston Chronicle, 12/9/99)
-- Texas Lax in Enforcing Law to Prevent Adults from Recklessly
Leaving Guns Open to Children. Texas also is lax in enforcing the
law to prevent children's access to guns recklessly left out by
adults. Nina Butts, chief lobbyist for Texans Against Gun
Violence, said that this law is "woefully under-enforced."
According to Butts's own records search of major Texas cities for
prosecution of this law turned up a handful of arrests. "I only
know of one conviction," Butts said. (Wall Street Journal,
3/29/00)
PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN FROM GUNS
UNDER BUSH, TEXAS RECEIVED "D" IN PROTECTING KIDS FROM GUNS.
-- Texas and 13 other states received a poor grade from Handgun
Control, Inc., for failing to pass laws to protect kids from guns.
The national gun-control group cited Texas' failure to prohibit
juveniles from owning handguns, as well as the state's prohibition
of municipal laws that are stricter than state law. Only five
other states received a lower grade than Texas, which was also
criticized for allowing the carrying of concealed weapons. (Houston
Chronicle, 9/15/98)
-- Child Firearms Deaths in Texas Increased, Most States
Decreased. A 1999 Children's Defense Fund study on children and
guns showed that Texas saw an 18 percent increase in the number of
firearms deaths from 1996 to 1997. Texas also had a twelve-percent
increase in the number of accidental child firearms deaths and an
18-percent increase in the number of child firearm suicides.
Nationwide, there was an eight percent decrease in the number of
child firearm deaths in the same period. In fact, Texas was the
only one of the ten largest states and one of only 14 states in the
country to see an increase in the number of child firearms deaths
during that time. (Children's Defense Fund Study, 10/99)
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/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
04/14 14:55
Copyright 2000, U.S. Newswire