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President Clinton joins D.C. mayor to announce gun buyback program

Largest-ever initiative seeks to take 7,000 guns off city streets

April 28, 2000
Web posted at: 6:11 p.m. EDT (2211 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bill Clinton announced Friday that the White House and the District of Columbia are joining forces in an effort to remove thousands of guns from the streets of the nation's capital, mere days after a teenaged gunman went on a rampage at Washington's National Zoo.

Clinton
President Clinton  

"That's why we're all here today, because we want to move now while everybody is still thinking about this," Clinton said in a reference to Monday's shooting at the highly popular tourist spot.

The president announced that the federal government would contribute $100,000 to the District's $350,000 buyback initiative -- one of the largest undertakings of its kind -- noting that while crime is at its lowest rate in 25 years, fighting crime is a battle fought on many fronts.

"Every gun taken out of circulation could mean one less crime, one less tragedy, one more child saved," he said during remarks at the D.C. Police Academy, in the southwest section of the city.

Joining the president were D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams (D), Metropolitan Police Chief Charles Ramsey, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo, and several police officers and recruits.

"Today we're all saying that enough is enough. We have all the evidence that we need to know to get guns off our streets and out of the hands of our children, Williams said, calling the gun buyback program "one good, solid, well-researched strategy that can and will take guns out of circulation."

District officials say that the aim of the initiative, known as "Operation Gun Tip," is to take nearly 7,000 firearms out of circulation. Scheduled for June 23 and 24, it is one of the most ambitious in the country, and will offer donors $50 in cash in exchange for their guns.

Williams
D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams  

So far, 85 communities throughout the country are participating in the Department of Housing and Urban Development "Buy Back America" program, which offers between $25 and $100 in cash or gift certificates to individuals who bring in their guns.

"Just think of it, we can go out there and, for fifty bucks a pop, buy millions of guns," Clinton said. "I don't know about you, but I think it's worth it."

The District's 1999 buyback operation brought in 2,900 guns.

"Over the course of just three days, that operation removed nearly 3,000 illegal guns from the streets of our nation's capital," Ramsey said of last year's buyback. "Never again will those weapons be available for settling an argument."

HUD provided the seed money for last year's program, and Ramsey said the police department is "very pleased once again to partner with HUD as we extend our gun buyback program." The additional $250,000, he explained, will come from money seized in District drug raids.

The buyback program is part of a comprehensive effort by the Clinton Administration to provide communities with enough tools to reduce gun violence, and to advance gun safety legislation in an attempt to keep guns out of the wrong hands.

Ramsey
D.C. Metropolitan Police Chief Charles Ramsey  

As he has in recent weeks, Clinton criticized Congress for failing to pass gun safety legislation that has languished on Capitol Hill for the past year. While both the House and Senate have passed their own bills, lawmakers cannot hash out a compromise on certain key issues, such as the length of time allowed to conduct background checks on purchases made at gun shows.

Democrats are seeking a 72-hour waiting period, while Republicans favor a 24-hour time frame.

"I think we need to make the sale here," Clinton said in reference to Congress' inaction.

The president also called on Congress to approve $30 million for next year's budget to pay for HUD's gun buybacks and other gun violence reduction programs, as well as 50,000 additional police officers to be dedicated to high-crime areas; more federal, state and local prosecutors; and more Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents to investigate gun-related crimes.

"I don't think there's a soul in America that thinks we're safe enough," Clinton said referring to the shooting at the National Zoo and last year's shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. "We know that this country can do better."

CNN's Kelly Wallace contributed to this report.

 
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