Mrs. MURRAY. Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. President, I stand with my colleagues from Idaho today out of anger, sadness, and commitment. A beautiful young woman, Ann Harris, was murdered in my State of Washington. She was murdered by a young man in a random act of violence as she rode in a car with her friends through a Tacoma neighborhood.

Her death is an outrage. We all should be furious. But the saddest comment is that to so many young people, Ann is simply another statistic. To too many she's just `another homicide.' A 17-year-old girl is murdered by a young college football player. Our eyes just glaze at the headline and move on.

This time, her parents, her friends, my colleagues and I, and many individuals and organizations across America are not going to let her murder be only a small blip on the television screen. We will not forget her--or any of the other hundreds of children and young people murdered each year.

Her parents, Coleman and Jean, have organized `Ann's Campaign for a Safer America.' Even in their tragic loss and profound grief, they pledged to themselves and their lost daughter that they would work to stop violence and stop our national indifference to it. Ann's Campaign's focus will be to encourage, motivate, educate, and help youth and adults alike to live the life Ann radiated--a life that said every day and in every way: smile more, care more, love more, and be more understanding. They will help us all focus on the good and learn to stop violence.

Mr. President, this is not about guns. This is about an attitude among too many young people `on the street' that violence is an acceptable alternative. We adults, we Members of Congress, must send the message to our kids and young adults that when someone is killed it will not pass by unnoticed. As adults we must let them know killing and maiming is appalling--and totally unacceptable.

To too many of them it is a quick news piece and it's gone. To too many of them it is `just another funeral.' But to parents and family and friends it is a light gone out, a hope not realized, a life not fulfilled.

Mr. President, there is hope that we can make a change in the apathy of our young people. In addition to Ann's parents, a friend of mine from Mercer Island, Pam Eakes, formed an organization called Mothers Against Violence in America.

After hearing about one too many children who lost their lives to violence, she resolved to make a difference, to make kids think about their actions, to teach them empathy, to teach them nonviolence.

Mothers Against Violence also supports families of victims. There is nothing worse than a parent's loss of a child. They feel helpless, and often guilty, like they somehow are to blame for not giving their child full protection from all danger. They are innocent victims, too, and desperately need the support that only others who have suffered their loss can give.

I want to again offer my sincere condolences to Ann's parents. They are so brave to wage this war against apathy and indifference and for love and caring and understanding. Every time they discuss these issues, their own wounds are opened. I thank them and I thank Pam Eakes and a member of my staff, Mary Glenn, and all of the mothers and fathers who have taken their grief and have woven it into a mission to change the world.

Mr. President, they cannot fight alone. We all must get involved and teach our children--and each other--that violence is unacceptable. We can make a difference by joining organizations like Mothers Against Violence or Ann's Campaign and working with them to teach and support. And we can start organizations across America to save our children from violence.

Young people can no longer believe that an angry action of one moment is only that. It is not just an action. It is murder. It is wrong and it will be punished. It is time to stop the violence.

I know that I will continue my personal fight against violence in America. And I urge all of our colleagues to join us in this campaign.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Mr. KEMPTHORNE. Mr. President, in listening to the Senator from Washington, we hear not only an effective Senator speak but we also hear a mother speak. I know of the beautiful children she has.

I commend all of the Senators who have spoken on this issue this morning.

Carved in granite behind me are words `In God We Trust.'

Today, I just say thank God for Ann Harris. I can think of no finer tribute than for us here on the floor of the U.S. Senate to officially acknowledge Ann's Campaign as it goes nationwide because this lovely lady's life is going to continue to do wonderful things for this country.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.