Mayor Issues Statement on Gun Ban Repeal Legislation in Senate

Contact: Sharon Gang (202) 727-9811 or Vince Morris (202) 727-6846

(Washington, DC) On the introduction of legislation by Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison, John Cornyn and George Allen to repeal DC's gun ban, Mayor Anthony A. Williams issued the following statement:

"I am incensed by any Congressional proposal that uses District residents as pawns. I am incensed by any proposal that assaults Home Rule. And I am incensed by any proposal that is an insult to the memory of the people who have died in this city due to gun violence—in particular the three children who have died from gun violence this year.  

We're on the right track toward reducing crime in the District. We're working to get guns off the street, and we're doing that successfully. This effort is contributing to the reduction in crime—homicides are down 17 percent from last year and that follows a 20 percent reduction in homicides from the previous year.

So far this year, the Metropolitan Police Department has recovered more than 1,000 firearms from the streets of the District of Columbia—a 23 percent increase over the number confiscated at this time last year.  

If members of the Senate want to contribute to public safety in the District, they should support the public safety priorities we've continually articulated during hearings on the Hill.

The "District of Columbia Personal Protection Act of 2005" is an attack on home rule. It's a vicious attack on representative democracy for District of Columbia residents.

Like the other 50 states, the District knows what firearm regulations work best for its residents.

For members of the Senate or the House to impose their will on the District is not just anti-democratic.  It is the ultimate hypocrisy.

I implore Congress to take no further action on the District of Columbia Personal Protection Act of 2005.

The citizens of th