[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 43 (Tuesday, April 19, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
        TWO MAJOR ISSUES--DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS AND CRIME CONTROL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Danner). Under the Speaker's announced 
policy of February 11, 1994, the gentleman from New Mexico [Mr. 
Richardson] is recognized during morning business for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, there are a couple of issues that 
Members' offices continue to get a flood of mail on and that we need to 
address in the Congress. One obviously is the crime bill, which 
hopefully we will conclude soon. The other is legislation on vitamins 
and dietary supplements.
  The public expects a resolution on the dietary supplements issue. I 
have a bill, H.R. 1709, that has 242 cosponsors in the House. That is 
the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act. Senator Hatch in the 
Senate has a similar bill that has 63 cosponsors in the Senate. With 
such a strong show of support, the public expects action, and I believe 
we must give them what they want. Undoubtedly most Members hear a lot 
about this issue when they go home.
  The final update on this matter is that Congressmen Dingell and 
Waxman and myself and Senators Hatch and Kennedy and Kassebaum are 
meeting, along with our staffs, to see if we can work out our 
differences. I think it is possible for us to work out our differences 
and find sensible ways to ensure the health of the public while also 
guaranteeing their access to dietary supplements and truthful and 
nonmisleading information about those products.
  Madam Speaker, what we are talking about is consumer choice. The 
Government should not tell us what to do when it comes to vitamins or 
dietary supplements. The FDA is attempting to be the arbiter on many 
health care issues on which they are not expert. Final determinations 
should be based on science, and what we want is for consumers to have 
access to dietary supplements and to base their choices on truthful and 
nonmisleading information.
  Madam Speaker, consumers can make their own decisions without 
excessive FDA interference. That is the basis of the Richardson-Hatch 
bill, and hopefully we will work out a compromise. Bureaucrats should 
not make decisions for consumers on health care. The public must have 
freedom of choice.
  On the crime bill, Madam Speaker, I think what we will pass shortly 
is a very exciting and positive piece of legislation that combines more 
police, more punishment, and more prevention programs.
  All around the country our constituents have been insisting that we 
do something to make our schools, our neighborhoods, and our homes safe 
again. The President has called on us to vote for a crime package that 
is strong and that is tough, a package that will punish offenders, yet 
will promote measures to prevent crime. This bill does that. It 
punishes criminals and offers very strong and new prevention measures.
  It sends a message to repeat offenders that enough is enough. It 
tells them that if you do violence to others, you are going to be 
punished. The three-strikes-you're-out provision is going to send 
criminals with three serious offenses to prison for life with no 
possibility of release. In addition, those who commit certain offenses 
will also be subject to the death penalty, making this crime bill 
extremely tough on criminals, in addition to providing stronger 
sentencing measures.
  The bill is also smart for it ensures that racial discrimination is 
prohibited in death sentencing.
  Smart crime prevention measures are also included in the crime bill. 
Billions of dollars are going to be directed to youth crime prevention, 
including measures to keep kids occupied and off the streets. This bill 
is going to allow grants to develop effective programs to reduce 
juvenile gang participation and juvenile drug trafficking. It also 
supports drug treatment programs within State and local correctional 
facilities.
  Prevention measures in the bill focus on kids by, for example, 
creating youth recreational programs which will give young people an 
opportunity to exercise and play sports, in hopes that this will build 
teamwork incentives and get them off the streets.
  There will be 50,000 more cops on the beat, with the Senate provision 
calling for 100,000 more cops on the beat. This is significant. This is 
a strong addition to the police population in this country. And there 
is a focus on rural areas to ensure that rural areas get the benefit of 
these programs.
  Madam Speaker, everyone, from mayors to high school students to 
parents to cops must realize that stopping crime is a joint effort, and 
that the battle against crime is not going to be won unless everyone 
participates.

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