Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the repeal of the ban. Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, 3 years ago at 101 California Street, a mad gunman using an assault weapon went in and, in a matter of seconds, snuffed out the lives and futures of many young people in a law firm there. And now the Republican leadership wants to repeal the ban that so many of the victims of that assault worked so hard for.
Mr. Speaker, the Republican leadership in this House talks a good act about caring about victims' rights. I do, too. We all talked about it a great deal in the course of the crime bill. Where are they when it comes to victims' rights when we are talking about the assault weapons? The victims of all of these assaults have called out, crusaded for this ban. I have here a long list, Mr. Speaker, not only of the victims but of the law enforcement agencies, the California State Sheriffs' Association, the California Police Chiefs' Association, lists and lists and lists of police departments and sheriffs' departments from across the State of California, the medical community, religious organizations, victims, and their families.
Mr. Speaker, in public opinion surveys, 72 percent of the people of California support the ban. So I say to these people, how do we explain to them why my colleagues are bringing this repeal to the floor, a repeal that the President has said he will veto? You tell me how I can explain to Michelle Scully, who lost her husband. Shall I just tell her that Members could not say no to the National Rifle Association?
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