S6942 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 18, 1995

licensing reform was enacted in December 1993, the number of dealers in

the United States has dropped from

283,000 to 239,000 in December 1994. For

the first time in years, according to

the Violence Policy Center, there are

now more gas stations than gun dealers

in this country.

Opponents of gun control legislation

say that measures such as these make

no difference in crime and the flow of

illegal weapons. Even supporters of gun

control legislation often dismiss these

type of reforms as too small, too narrow, and insufficient to address such

overwhelming problems.

Clearly, these reforms do not solve

our problems with violence and crime.

But there should no longer be any

doubt that small steps make a big difference. The struggle to free our communities from rampant gun violence

will only be won with commitment, determination and measures just like

these. I ask that the article be printed

in the RECORD.

The article follows:

CONFESSIONS OF A GUN RUNNER; HOW

SUBURBANITE SUPPLIED CHICAGO GANG

(By Alex Rodriguez)

Easy money, James L. Bush thought to

himself. Buy a gun for $100, sell it for $250 on

the streets. And in the bullet-scarred neighborhoods of the West Side, customers

weren’t hard to find.

So several times last winter Bush—suburbanite, homeowner and father of two—

drove to the city and sold boxes of guns to

the Vice Lords street gang. He drove away

with a wallet stuffed with cash.

Getting the guns wasn’t a problem. Bush

owned a federal firearms dealer license,

about as easy to get as a library card.

‘‘It was very easy to abuse the system,’’

Bush, 39, said during a recent interview at

his home in Bolingbrook. A federal judge

will sentence him this summer on a conviction of illegal delivery of firearms.

‘‘There are probably people out there doing

it right now,’’ he continued, ‘‘but they just

haven’t gotten caught.’’

Just how significant a role crooked federal

firearms dealers play in the availability of

guns to criminals is hard to measure, federal

officials say. Most federal firearms dealers

don’t break the law, and law enforcement

agencies don’t keep statistics on those who

do.

Still, the access to volume that comes with

the license means that just one crooked firearms dealer can become a street gang’s conduit for hundreds, even thousands of guns,

federal law enforcement officials say. Bush

supplied gang members and drug dealers

with more than 350 guns before federal

agents arrested him in February. In 1992, federal agents arrested James Board of Highland, Ind., who police say sold more than

1,000 guns to Chicago street gangs.

At least 50 of those guns have been recovered from crime scenes, said Jerry Singer,

spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol,

Tobacco and Firearms. Board pleaded guilty

to one count of illegal firearms delivery and

was sentenced to 21 months in jail.

The federal government has responded by

tightening regulations governing the issuance of federal firearms licenses.

Before the changes, anyone could obtain a

federal firearms license by paying $30 and

filling out a one-page application.

With that license, they could buy and sell

large numbers of guns across state lines—

from home if they wanted. They could buy in

volume because they bought wholesale.

License holders can still do all that, but

now applicants must pay $200 for a license,

submit fingerprints and live in a town without laws prohibiting gun dealerships.

Gun proponents have decried the new regulations as unnecessary and misguided.

‘‘We see (ATF) as committed to driving

down the number of federal firearms license

holders as a ploy to drive down lawful gun

ownership,’’ said Mary Sue Faulkner,

spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association. ‘‘It’s like gun control. There are already plenty of laws on the books to enforce.’’

ATF officials, however, say the new regulations are needed to pare down the universe of

license holders. One reason the agency struggles to ferret out crooked firearms dealers is

that it isn’t armed with enough inspectors to

monitor them.

In Illinois, 15 inspectors must cover 6,529

federally licensed firearms dealers along

with countless other duties, including making sure distilleries, breweries and wineries

pay federal liquor taxes.

‘‘It’s a very difficult job, when you have

that few inspectors for that many federal

firearms licenses,’’ Singer said. ‘‘There’s

only so much resources to go around.’’

If the goal is fewer dealers, the new regulations are working. Before December, 1993,

when the federal government raised the application fee from $30 to $200, ATF had to

oversee some 284,000 license holders nationwide. Nine months later, the number of licensed dealers dropped to around 255,000.

Then in September, Congress enacted new

rules that required applicants to submit fingerprints, notify their local police chief of

their application and certify that their dealership isn’t prohibited by local law.

Since then, the number of licensed dealers

has dropped to 223,476. By 1997, ATF officials

predict the number of licensed dealers will

dwindle to 80,000.

‘‘Maybe by 1997 we’ll have a more manageable universe,’’ said ATF spokesman Michael

Fitzgerald.

Bush only heard once from the ATF after

getting his federal firearms license in January, 1990. An agent visited him February,

1993, to review his records. Later that month,

the agency renewed his license.

At the time, Bush was a Chicago Transit

Authority purchasing clerk living with his

family in a $180,000 house in Bolingbrook,

but struggling to erase a $40,000 debt from a

failed laundromat business, according to

Bush and court documents.

In September, 1994, an acquaintance of

Bush—not named in court documents—offered to find Bush gang members and drug

dealers in the market for guns, court records

showed. The two agreed to split the profits.

According to court records, Bush sold 350

guns to criminals, at first with the help of

his friend—a driver with United Parcel Service—and later on his own. The two used a

grinding stone attached to a cordless drill to

erase the guns’ serial numbers.

Bush was arrested Feb. 2 after selling 47

guns to an undercover ATF agent. He pleaded guilty April 4 and faces sentencing in

July.

Bush, who is black, says he wrestles daily

with the knowledge that he sold guns in

mostly black neighborhoods under siege

from gangs for decades.

‘‘I know it wasn’t right,’’ Bush said. ‘‘They

were going in the hands of gang-bangers, and

it was mostly black-on-black crime. Maybe

by me getting busted, that was God’s way to

tell me to stop.’’

As a federally licensed firearms dealer,

James L. Bush supplied West Side gang

members with more than 350 guns before

U.S. agents arrested him in February, seizing dozens of weapons. The Bolingbrook resident was convicted in April of illegal fireCHELSEA NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSarms delivery.

ING SERVICES, INC., AND CITI-

∑

fZENS BANK OF MASSACHUSETTS

∑ Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I rise to

commend Chelsea Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. [CNHS], and Citizens

Bank of Massachusetts [Citizens],

which were nationally recognized for

their exceptional partnership achievements by the Social Compact in its 1995

Outstanding Community Investment

Awards Program Tuesday night. Together, CNHS and Citizens have developed a unique pilot program that helps

former low-income renters become

homeowners and building managers.

The two organizations have designed

this successful program specifically to

meet the needs of low-income residents

in Chelsea, MA.

Chelsea, historically a city of immigrants, has a population that often is

the last hired and the first fired. Consequently, when the State of Massachusetts experienced a severe economic

downturn in the early 1990’s, Chelsea’s

residents were greatly affected. This

population, with a per capita income of

less than $8,600, is unable to accumulate savings for downpayments or closing costs for home purchases, even

when working overtime or holding two

jobs. Nevertheless, despite the problems, many residents are determined to

stay in Chelsea and buy their own

homes.

Citizens—formerly known as Boston

Five—originally approached CNHS to

discuss a collaboration because it

wanted to increase loans in Chelsea

and create a successful program that

could be replicated in other cities.

When CNHS and Citizens designed rentto-own, they carefully considered the

needs of Chelsea residents. They recognized that additional financial assistance would be needed for first-time

homehbuyers in order for them to have

downpayments and meet closing cost

requirements. Triple-decker properties,

three-story buildings with a two-bedroom apartment on the ground floor

and two three-bedroom apartments upstairs, provided part of the answer. The

income from rental units helps decrease the barrier to homeownership.

To qualify for the program, the potential managers/buyers must commit to a

3-year program that requires them to

attend monthly training sessions and

learn how to be good landlords. In return for their work and training, they

receive 100 points a month and are

docked if absent from training or if

they do not fulfill management responsibilities. At the end of each year, the

points earned are converted to a maximum of $1,200 and deposited to an escrow account at Citizens Bank. After 2

years, the account’s balance—potentially $2,400—is considered the manager/buyer’s cash downpayment toward

the average purchase price of $120,000

for his or her home.
May 18, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6943

CNHS piloted the program in one of

the poorest neighborhoods in the city.

With initial financial assistance from

Citizens and further assistance from

the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, a State grant from the corpus

of the Federal community development

block grant to Massachusetts, Neighborhood Housing Services of America,

and the State Executive Office of Communities and Development, CNHS

bought a vacant and vandalized condominium and converted the early

20th-century building into four tripledeckers now called Garden Apartments

I.

The commitment of Citizens to the

rent-to-own project is impressive. Over

150 hours of staff time was logged to

develop and shape a program that

would fit the needs of both clients and

sponsoring institutions. Additionally,

Citizens’ senior staff worked with

CHHS to gain approval of the program

for Fannie Mae’s secondary market.

Since the first days of occupancy, the

rent-to-own project has been self-sufficient. The residents keep the building

immaculate, so its presence visibly improves the entire neighborhood. Both

partners are pleased—Citizens is

achieving its original mission, the development of a model program that can

be expanded and adapted in other

cities, and CNHS has a program that

serves its special constituency. They

are now acquiring one building a

month, and 50 percent of those will be

rent-to-own units.

On behalf of the Commonwealth of

Massachusetts, I commend Chelsea

Neighborhood Housing Services and

Citizens Bank for their distinguished

cooperation and success, and suggest

that their model be considered for reph

lication throughout the country.∑

FOREIGN CURRENCY REPORTS

In accordance with the appropriate provisions of law, the Secretary of the Senate herewith submits the following

report(s) of standing committees of the Senate, certain joint committees of the Congress, delegations and groups, and select and special committees of the Senate, relating to expenses incurred in the performance of authorized foreign travel:

CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF EXPENDITURE OF FOREIGN CURRENCIES AND APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR FOREIGN TRAVEL BY MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE U.S. SENATE, UNDER

AUTHORITY OF SEC. 22, P.L. 95–384–22 U.S.C. 1754(b), COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FOR TRAVEL FROM JAN. 1 TO MAR. 31, 1995

Name and country Name of currency

Per diem Transportation Miscellaneous Total

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Senator Patrick Leahy. Haiti ............................................................................................................. Gourde .................................................. 1,896.5 150.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... 1,896.5 150.00 William N. Witting. Haiti ............................................................................................................. Gourde .................................................. 1,896.5 150.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... 1,896.5 150.00

Total ........................................................................................................ ............................................................... ................... 300.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... ................... 300.00

MARK O. HATFIELD,

Chairman, Committee on Appropriations, May 1, 1995.

CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF EXPENDITURE OF FOREIGN CURRENCIES AND APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR FOREIGN TRAVEL BY MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE U.S. SENATE, UNDER

AUTHORITY OF SEC. 22, P.L. 95–384—22 U.S.C. 1754(b), COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS FOR TRAVEL FROM OCT. 1 TO DEC. 31, 1994

Name and country Name of currency

Per diem Transportation Miscellaneous Total

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Senator Barbara A. Mikulski. Vietnam ....................................................................................................... Dollar .................................................... ................... 289.88 ................... ................... ................... 103.56 ................... 393.44 Thailand ...................................................................................................... Dollar .................................................... ................... 415.42 ................... ................... ................... 313.31 ................... 728.73 Hong Kong ................................................................................................... Dollar .................................................... ................... 691.53 ................... ................... ................... 609.42 ................... 1,300.95 France .......................................................................................................... Dollar .................................................... ................... 50.00 ................... ................... ................... 65.21 ................... 115.21 China ........................................................................................................... Dollar .................................................... ................... 444.67 ................... ................... ................... 233.33 ................... 678.00 Malaysia ...................................................................................................... Dollar .................................................... ................... 711.48 ................... ................... ................... 470.00 ................... 1,181.48 Richard L. Collins. China ........................................................................................................... Yuan ..................................................... 6,386.80 747.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... 6,386.80 747.00 Philippines ................................................................................................... Peso ...................................................... 2,982.50 125.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... 2,982.50 125.00 Korea ........................................................................................................... Won ....................................................... 242,400 303.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... 242,400 303.00 United States .............................................................................................. Dollar .................................................... ................... ................... ................... 1,229.45 ................... ................... ................... 1,229.45

Total ........................................................................................................ ............................................................... ................... 3,777.98 ................... 1,229.45 ................... 1,794.83 ................... 6,802.26

ROBERT C. BYRD,

Chairman, Committee on Appropriations, Apr. 7, 1995.

CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF EXPENDITURE OF FOREIGN CURRENCIES AND APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR FOREIGN TRAVEL BY MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE U.S. SENATE, UNDER

AUTHORITY OF SEC. 22, P.L. 95–384—22 U.S.C. 1754(b), COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES FOR TRAVEL FROM JAN. 1 TO MAR. 31, 1995

Name and country Name of currency

Per diem Transportation Miscellaneous Total

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Richard D. DeBobes. Belgium ....................................................................................................... Franc ..................................................... 7,720 266.39 ................... ................... ................... ................... 7,720 266.39 England ....................................................................................................... Pound .................................................... 213.5 339.64 ................... ................... ................... ................... 213.5 339.64 John Douglass. Belgium ....................................................................................................... Franc ..................................................... 7,600 252.08 ................... ................... ................... ................... 7,600 252.08 England ....................................................................................................... Pound .................................................... 168.5 283.08 ................... ................... ................... ................... 168.5 283.08 Germany ...................................................................................................... Mark ...................................................... 297.90 204.03 ................... ................... ................... ................... 297.90 204.03 Senator John S. McCain. Germany ...................................................................................................... Mark ...................................................... 375.44 247.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... 375.44 247.00 Senator William S. Cohen. Germany ...................................................................................................... Mark ...................................................... 427.79 282.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... 427.79 282.00 Senator Sam Nunn. Belgium ....................................................................................................... Franc ..................................................... 9,040 299.82 ................... ................... ................... ................... 9,040 299.82 England ....................................................................................................... Pound .................................................... 126 211.68 ................... ................... ................... ................... 126 211.68 Germany ...................................................................................................... Mark ...................................................... 175 119.87 ................... ................... ................... ................... 175 119.87 Senator John Glenn. Germany ...................................................................................................... Mark ...................................................... 423.80 279.36 ................... ................... ................... ................... 423.80 279.36 Senator Joseph I. Lieberman. Germany ...................................................................................................... Mark ...................................................... 451.44 297.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... 451.44 297.00 James M. Bodner.
S6944 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 18, 1995

CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF EXPENDITURE OF FOREIGN CURRENCIES AND APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR FOREIGN TRAVEL BY MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE U.S. SENATE, UNDER

AUTHORITY OF SEC. 22, P.L. 95–384—22 U.S.C. 1754(b), COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES FOR TRAVEL FROM JAN. 1 TO MAR. 31, 1995—Continued

Name and country Name of currency

Per diem Transportation Miscellaneous Total

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Germany ...................................................................................................... Mark ...................................................... 426.45 281.20 ................... ................... ................... ................... 426.45 281.20

Senator Sam Nunn.

Haiti ............................................................................................................. Gourde .................................................. 1,218 87.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... 1,218 87.00

Richard D. DeBobes.

Haiti ............................................................................................................. Gourde .................................................. 2,436 174.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... 2,436 174.00

Dollar .................................................... ................... ................... ................... ................... ................... 25.00 ................... 25.00

Total ........................................................................................................ ............................................................... ................... 3,624.15 ................... ................... ................... 25.00 ................... 3,649.15

STROM THURMOND,

Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, May 8, 1995.

CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF EXPENDITURE OF FOREIGN CURRENCIES AND APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR FOREIGN TRAVEL BY MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE U.S. SENATE, UNDER

AUTHORITY OF SEC. 22, P.L. 95–384—22 U.S.C. 1754(b), COMMITTEE ON FINANCE FOR TRAVEL FROM JAN. 1 TO MAR. 31, 1995

Name and country Name of currency

Per diem Transportation Miscellaneous Total

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Senator John D. Rockefeller IV.

Japan ........................................................................................................... Yen ........................................................ ................... 1,534.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... ................... 1,534.00

Taiwan ......................................................................................................... Dollar .................................................... ................... 648.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... ................... 648.00

United States .............................................................................................. Dollar .................................................... ................... ................... ................... 5,359.95 ................... ................... ................... 5,359.95

Lane Bailey.

Japan ........................................................................................................... Yen ........................................................ ................... 1,534.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... ................... 1,534.00

Taiwan ......................................................................................................... Dollar .................................................... ................... 648.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... ................... 648.00

United States .............................................................................................. Dollar .................................................... ................... ................... ................... 2,994.95 ................... ................... ................... 2,994.95

Total ........................................................................................................ ............................................................... ................... 4,364.00 ................... 8,354.90 ................... ................... ................... 12,718.90

BOB PACKWOOD,

Chairman, Committee on Finance, Apr. 28, 1995.

CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF EXPENDITURE OF FOREIGN CURRENCIES AND APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR FOREIGN TRAVEL BY MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE U.S. SENATE, UNDER

AUTHORITY OF SEC. 22, P.L. 95–384—22 U.S.C. 1754(b), COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS FOR TRAVEL FROM JAN. 1 TO MAR. 31, 1995

Name and country Name of currency

Per diem Transportation Miscellaneous Total

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Elizabeth De Moss.

Costa Rica ................................................................................................... Colon ..................................................... 71,514 415.18 ................... ................... ................... ................... 71,514 415.18

Dollar .................................................... ................... 30.36 ................... ................... ................... ................... ................... 30.36

United States .............................................................................................. Dollar .................................................... ................... ................... ................... 605.00 ................... ................... ................... 605.00

Michael Haltzel.

France .......................................................................................................... Dollar .................................................... ................... 1,500.00 ................... ................... ................... ................... ................... 1,500.00

United States .............................................................................................. Dollar .................................................... ................... ................... ................... 647.05 ................... ................... ................... 647.05

Total ........................................................................................................ ............................................................... ................... 1,945.54 ................... 1,252.05 ................... ................... ................... 3,197.59

JESSE HELMS,

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations, Apr. 25, 1995.

CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF EXPENDITURE OF FOREIGN CURRENCIES AND APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR FOREIGN TRAVEL BY MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE U.S. SENATE, UNDER

AUTHORITY OF SEC. 22, P.L. 95–384—22 U.S.C. 1754(b), FOR TRAVEL AUTHORIZED BY THE MAJORITY LEADER FROM JAN. 1 TO MAR. 31, 1995

Name and country Name of currency

Per diem Transportation Miscellaneous Total

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Senator William V. Roth, Jr..

Germany ...................................................................................................... Mark ...................................................... 666.35 439.25 ................... ................... ................... ................... 666.35 439.25

Senator Connie Mack.

Germany ...................................................................................................... Mark ...................................................... 380 250.49 ................... ................... ................... ................... 380 250.49

Total ........................................................................................................ ............................................................... ................... 689.74 ................... ................... ................... ................... ................... 689.74

ROBERT J. DOLE,

Majority Leader, Apr. 26, 1995.

ADDENDUM—CONSOLIDATED REPORT OF EXPENDITURE OF FOREIGN CURRENCIES AND APPROPRIATED FUNDS FOR FOREIGN TRAVEL BY MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE U.S.

SENATE, UNDER AUTHORITY OF SEC. 22, P.L. 95–384—22 U.S.C. 1754(b), FOR TRAVEL AUTHORIZED BY THE REPUBLICAN LEADER FROM JULY 1 TO SEPT. 30, 1994

Name and country Name of currency

Per diem Transportation Miscellaneous Total

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Foreign

currency

U.S. dollar

equivalent

or U.S.

currency

Senator John Warner.

United Kingdom ........................................................................................... Dollar .................................................... ................... ................... ................... 1,763.95 ................... ................... ................... 1,763.95

Total ........................................................................................................ Dollar .................................................... ................... ................... ................... 1,763,95 ................... ................... ................... 1,763.95

ROBERT J. DOLE,

Republican Leader, Apr. 26, 1995.