[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 45 (Thursday, April 21, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
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]

 
      IMPACT OF THE CRIME BILL ON GRAFFITI PREVENTION AND REMOVAL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Filner] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I salute this House on today's passage of 
the crime bill. Its balanced approach to fighting crime through 
additional resources for enforcement and prevention should make a 
significant difference in the communities of America.
  And while it is only a very small part of the crime bill, my 
amendment to allow funding of graffiti prevention and removal programs 
as part of the juvenile trafficking and gang prevention grant program 
will give thousands of neighborhoods a new resource to attack the 
blight of hopelessness that has invaded them.
  In response to the gentleman from Wisconsin who, last week in this 
Chamber, chose to belittle the need for graffiti prevention and 
removal, I would like to set the record straight.
  I am sure the fine gentleman from Wisconsin just needs a little 
education, so I invite him to visit my district to see the conditions 
with which our citizens must live.
  You have probably heard of the broken window theory--when an area 
begins to have broken windows, or litter, or rundown housing, or 
graffiti, the downward spiral of decay and urban blight results in an 
area that is filthy, crime-ridden, and unsafe. Broken-down 
neighborhoods invite crime.
  Likewise, when residents are empowered to take responsibility for 
keeping their neighborhood clean, the direction of the spiral changes 
and moves upward.
  As a former member of the San Diego City Council who established and 
maintained a graffiti patrol and a graffiti hotline, I can tell you 
from personal experience that any attempt to regain control of our 
neighborhoods begins with an attack on graffiti.
  The residents of San Diego and Chula Vista and National City, CA, 
will appreciate the opportunity we have given them to restore some 
beauty and hope to their communities. I hope the gentleman from 
Wisconsin will come to see both the seriousness of the problem--and the 
seriousness of the effort to restore hope and dignity to our 
neighborhoods.

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