While the House easily approved, 386-22, its version of the FY2001 military construction spending bill (H.R. 4425) on May 16, the Senate became bogged down in partisan debate on the role of U.S. peacekeeping forces in Kosovo and several gun-related provisions. The Senate approved its bill (S. 2521) on May 18 by a vote of 96-4.
Both bills would provide $3.5 billion for the construction, operation, and maintenance of family housing units, a decrease of $64 million from FY2000. The House bill would provide $43 million for child care development centers, an increase of $21 million over last year, which would be used to establish an additional 13 centers. The Senate bill would provide $33.24 million for an additional 7 centers. Noting the lack of availability of child care, the committee report accompanying the House bill requires DoD to report to Congress on how it plans to create an additional 25,000 new child care spaces over the next five years.
During Senate consideration of the bill, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) offered an amendment expressing the sense of the Senate that the “organizers, sponsors, and participants of the Million Mom March should be commended for rallying to demand sensible gun safety legislation.” The amendment calls upon Congress to pass the conference report accompanying a bill (H.R. 1501) dealing with juvenile justice before Memorial Day. Additionally, the amendment calls for the inclusion of a provision that would require background checks for gun purchases made at gun shows as well as other Senate-passed provisions designed to limit children’s access to guns.
The House approved the Juvenile Justice Reform Act (H.R. 1501) in June, 1999 (see The Source, 6/18/99, p.1), while the Senate approved its version of the bill (S. 254) in May of last year (see The Source, 5/21/99, p. 1). The bills have been stalled in conference since that time. The Senate bill includes several gun control provisions not included in the House bill.
“This weekend an estimated 750,000 mothers, fathers, and children united for the Million Mom March here in the District. These women and men took the first step toward ending the epidemic of gun violence in our country. Certainly, Congress needs to take the next step. It is intolerable that common sense gun safety legislation is stalled in a conference committee that has not met since August 5 of 1999,” stated Sen. Daschle.
Arguing against the Daschle amendment, Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) stated, “There were other moms marching there, too, but they did not get much attention. They, too, had lost loved ones to violence. But they also recognized that they have a right in this country; and the right is to self-defense to protect themselves and their families when law enforcement cannot make it there in time….What a hoax. What a false premise, to tell those moms, who came from all over the country, with dedicated concerns, that we will just pass a law and the world will be a better place.”
The Daschle amendment was approved, 50-49.
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) also offered a sense of the Senate amendment that “any juvenile crime conference report should reflect a comprehensive approach to juvenile crime and enhance the prosecution of firearms offenses.” The amendment also states that “the right of each law-abiding United States citizen to own a firearm for any legitimate purpose, including self-defense or recreation, should not be infringed.”
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) stated, “I am convinced if we continue to focus our efforts on increased gun control and more strict gun control, not only will we impose burdens on law-abiding Americans that are unjustified, but we will fail to give the attention that is necessary to the true causes of the violence that we have to be addressing.”
The Lott amendment was approved, 69-30.
