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Morning News

Clinton to Discuss Gun Control with Congressional Leaders

Aired March 7, 2000 - 9:21 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It was a week ago today that 6-year- old Kayla Rolland was gunned down in her classroom.

Last night, a memorial service was held in her honor near Flint, Michigan. Hundreds of people turned out for a candlelight vigil across the street from the elementary school where Kayla was killed.

A 6-year-old boy is accused in the shooting. The school reopened yesterday for the first time since the tragedy.

Kayla Rolland's mother will meet with President Clinton today as he continues to press for stricter gun control. And, about an hour from now, Mr. Clinton hopes to resolve a legislative impasse when he meets with congressional leaders.

CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us from the White House with the details.

Hi, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, like the rest of the nation, Mr. Clinton was deeply moved by Kayla Rolland's shocking death last week. And so with word that Kayla's mother would be in town this week, Mr. Clinton invited her to come to the White House this afternoon to talk with him after his meeting with congressional leaders.

And it was Kayla's death that inspired this meeting with leaders this morning. Last week, after her shooting, Mr. Clinton vowed to bring top congressional leaders to the White House to try to jump start the debate on Capitol Hill over gun control.

Now, as you may have heard in the past, Mr. Clinton cite the figure that 13 children are killed by guns in the United States every day. This morning in a study, the White House will point out that that problem was even worse between 1987 and 1993, when there were fewer laws on the books regulating access to firearms.

Now, at its highest point in 1993, 61 percent of children who died in the United States were killed by firearms.

Mr. Clinton will make the point to lawmakers that, in order to keep moving that death rate downward, he wants to see laws requiring things like child-proof locks on handguns, barring the import of high- capacity ammunition clips, and also laws that would require that purchasers of guns at gun shows get background checks, just like people who purchase handguns or any type of a gun at a gun shop.

Now, the Senate, last year, did pass some bills that would have mandated very similar measures, but the House was not able to agree on the details. So that measure remains stalled in Congress.

Now, the critics say, though, what is really needed is tougher enforcement of existing laws. To that end, the president is also asking for more money for 1,000 new prosecutors to prosecute federal gun cases.

Reporting live at the White House, I'm Kathleen Koch.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, thank you, Kathleen.

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