[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 40 (Thursday, April 14, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 14, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1010
 
             GOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION NEEDED IN CRIME BILL

  (Mr. THOMAS of Wyoming asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMAS of Wyoming. Mr. Speaker, nearly everyone in this country 
supports the idea of making the criminal justice tougher; not just to 
talk tough but to walk tough. The administration has been talking 
tough. We will see, in fact, if they are willing to walk tough as well. 
There is unrefutable evidence that we need to focus on making criminals 
pay rather than victims. Clearly endless right of appeal has virtually 
eliminated the death penalty and that must change.
  Clearly the percentage of criminals, only 7 percent, that commit two-
thirds of the crimes need to be imprisoned and they need hard 
sentencing and an opportunity to serve out that sentence. But as we 
approach it, we need to keep in mind that the majority of the criminal 
justice system in this country is State and local.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not think the answer is to federalize the criminal 
system. I do not think the answer is to expand the Federal system. 
Rather, to help and work cooperatively with State and local governments 
to make this a tough system consistent with the desire of the American 
people.

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