Guns

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, now finally on guns, it is another tragic week of mass shootings, but gun manufacturers continue to stoop to disgusting and morally bankrupt new lows. I am talking about a weapon currently for sale that is actually being marketed by one gunmaker to children. It has a disgusting, horrifying name: the JR-15. The JR-15. You heard me right. That is what they call it. The JR-15 is a spinoff, a child-sized version of an AR-15, which, according to the company marketing it, ``functions like a modern sporting rifle'' but is ``geared to smaller enthusiasts.'' Smaller enthusiasts? That is a code for ``young children.''

Look at what just happened a few weeks ago in Virginia, where a 6- year-old student shot his teacher at school. We are talking about a kid in the first grade who looked at his teacher and pulled the trigger. When weapons are marketed to children, it makes horrors like what happened in Virginia more likely. Even if the weapons are marketed to adults to give to their children, it creates these terrible, terrible, terrible situations.

So later today, I and a group of my colleagues will ask the FTC to investigate the company that makes and advertises the JR-15. I want to be clear that this probe is not intended to be a cure-all for gun violence. We have a lot more to do in that regard. But we must shed more light on the prevalence of guns in our society, and regulators must take stronger steps to keep guns out of the hands of children. I hope it will pave the way for future action in Congress.

I can't believe I have to say this: The last thing we need to be doing is reducing in size deadly weapons of war and marketing them to young children. Every parent in America, every citizen in America should be outraged and demand the FTC to take action.

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