[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 57 (Wednesday, May 11, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   SHOULD FELONS PROTECT THE PUBLIC?

  (Mr. MARTINEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. Speaker, I ask today the question, should felons 
protect the public?
  How many Members of this House would vote to allow a convicted felon 
to don a uniform and badge, and perhaps even be given a firearm, and 
placed in a position to guard a shopping mall or elementary school?
  Not many.
  Yet, 333 Members of the House voted to do just that by opposing my 
amendment to the crime bill, legislation that would require employers 
of guards to check job applicants through State agencies for criminal 
backgrounds.
  As a result, it is virtually impossible to provide the public 
assurance that the person they see guarding a school or shopping mall 
is not a convicted felon.
  CNN recently reported finding felons who were working as private 
security officers in California.
  H.R. 1534 adopts a program that, at no net cost to the State or 
Federal Government, would expedite national criminal background checks 
and provide information to State regulators of the private security 
industry.
  Earlier this year, Congress voted in favor of similar nationwide 
background checks for child care workers, including volunteers.
  We can do no less for private security guards, some of whom carry 
lethal weapons.

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