dick congressman ssmwsmovepltsmtsm -- former congressman dick swett. congressman swett: it's wonderful to have you here. john alston a pleasure to be with my good friend the clintons. i want to give everyone a background on our relationship with regards to guns. in 1994, i voted in favor of a crime bill that had in it an assault weapons ban for 17 assault weapons out of nearly 800 weapons that were on the street. >> i'm not looking for any attention, but i received a letter prior to the vote that i thought would be worth sharing with the people here. i shared it with hillary earlier. it is a letter from ronald reagan, and it is dated may 5, 994, and it's written to congressman dick swett. i'm reading off of his own handwriting. fred ryan told me of your conversation, and i know you were thinking very carefully about the assault weapons bill. as a longtime gun owner and supporter of the right to bear arms, i too have carefully thought about this issue. i'm convinced that the limitations imposed in this bill are absolutely necessary. i know there's a hea