[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 45 (Thursday, April 21, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 21, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  OPPOSITION TO THE RULE FOR H.R. 4092

                                 ______


                               speech of

                         HON. STEPHEN E. BUYER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 13, 1994

  Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule which we are 
considering today. I do so because Congress, which should be the 
greatest forum for debate in the world, is shutting out the voices of 
millions of Americans.
  The House Democratic leadership, with passage of this rule, is not 
only shutting out the voices of 91 Congressmen who wanted to offer 
amendments, but the millions of constituents which are represented by 
them. Almost a quarter of this entire body is being gagged and ignored.
  Mr. Speaker, I'm referring to amendments which would increase minimum 
mandatory sentences for criminals, including those that use or possess 
firearms in the commission of the crime. I'm referring to transferring 
half of the $8 million that the crime bill authorizes for social 
programs, termed crime prevention, to the violent repeat offender 
title.
  Nor does this rule allow for this Congress to resolve the serious 
problems which have resulted from the fact that 25 percent of our 
prison population consists of illegal aliens.
  Even more pertinent, Mr. Speaker, is the fact that an amendment which 
would establish the violent crime reduction trust fund, which would 
ensure that the programs which we enact in this bill are properly 
financed without raising taxes or cutting other programs, is not 
considered germane by this rule.
  We have all heard the cries from the American public. We, as 
Congress, are here to serve as their voice. The true fraud being 
committed today, is not being done by the hundreds of thousands of 
criminals, but right here by this rule. I urge my fellow Members to 
oppose this rule.

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