STATEMENT OF SENATOR CARL LEVIN ON GUN CRIME COMMITTED BY 18 TO 20 YEAR OLDS

Mr. President, this week, Vice President Gore released a new study focusing on the connection between young adults and gun crimes. This report, jointly prepared by the Departments of Treasury and Justice, documents an alarmingly high rate of gun violence among 18 to 20 year olds.

The report shows that while 18, 19 and 20 years olds make up only 4 percent of the U.S. population, they commit an astounding 24 percent of gun murders in our country. In addition, the report shows that 18 year olds commit 35 percent more gun murders than 21 year olds; double the gun murders of 24 year olds; triple the gun murders of 28 year olds; and four times the gun murders of 30 year olds.

There are several loopholes in our current firearms laws that permit young people access to handguns and other deadly weapons. We must close those loopholes, especially for the 18 to 20 year olds, who contribute to such a high percentage of gun crimes. One of those loopholes allows 18 to 20 year olds, minors, to purchase handguns from unlicensed dealers, private collectors or friends, even though it would be illegal for them to purchase the same handgun from a federally licensed dealer.

There are also additional loopholes in federal law that permit 18 to 20 years olds to purchase semiautomatic weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices from anyone willing to sell them. These weapons, such as AK-47s and Uzis, and the 50 rounds per minute clips that accompany them, are not the type of weapons needed for hunting, they are the type needed for killing, and that is what they are too often used for.

There is strong precedent for imposing minimum age requirements for engaging in dangerous activities. Congress and the states worked together in the past to minimize public safety concerns by ensuring that states raised their legal drinking ages to 21. This was in response to evidence that young adults were involved in proportionately far more driving accidents while intoxicated. Increasing the age requirement for drinking alcohol, reduced automobile accidents dramatically. And, in the first year after Michigan raised its drinking age from 18 to 21, there was a 21 percent decline in alcohol related deaths among drivers age 18 to 20.

Most recently, a report to be released today by a national commission studying the impact of gambling will apparently recommend that the minimum age for all forms of gambling be raised to 21. Although currently most casinos require gamblers to be 21, other forms of gambling, such as state lotteries have an age requirement of 18. The National Gambling Impact Study Commission contends that there should be tighter restrictions on state lotteries and other forms of betting because of the dangers and risks of excessive gambling.

Surely if there are clear and compelling reasons to prevent young people from drinking and gambling, there are even better reasons, as documented by the Gore report, to prevent 18, 19 and 20 year olds from owning an assault weapon or a handgun. I am a cosponsor of legislation introduced by Senator Schumer, S.891, that would prohibit the sale or transfer of these weapons to young adults as well as prohibit possession of these weapons by those under 21, while maintaining exemptions under current law. In my judgment, it is critical that Congress act quickly to close these loopholes.