[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 96 (Thursday, July 21, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


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

 
          COMMERCE, JUSTICE, STATE APPROPRIATIONS ACT OF 1995

  The Senate continued with the consideration of the bill.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South Carolina.


                           amendment no. 2352

 (Purpose: To provide a base amount for crime victim assistance grants 
                         for fiscal year 1995)

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Madam President, I send an amendment to the desk on 
behalf of Mr. Biden and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from South Carolina [Mr. Hollings] for Mr. 
     Biden, Mr. Domenici and Mr. Hollings proposes an amendment 
     No. 2352.

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
reading of the amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

       On page 36, between lines 18 and 19, insert the following:
       Sec. 112. Section 1404(a)(5)(B) of the Victims of Crime Act 
     of 1984 (42 U.S.C. 10603(a)(5)(B)) is amended by striking 
     ``1994'' and inserting ``1995''.

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Madam President, on September 30, 1994, the $200,000 
minimum authorized for States in Victims of Crime Act assistance funds 
will expire, resulting in a loss of funding to 38 States.
  The amendment I send to the desk on behalf of Senator Biden, Senator 
Domenici, and myself, removes the sunset year thereby assuring that 
States will continue to receive a base amount of victim assistance 
payments, regardless of the size of the State's population.
  This amendment has been cleared and I ask for its adoption.
  Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, I rise to offer an amendment to H.R. 4603, 
the Commerce, State, Justice and Judiciary appropriations bill. This 
amendment will serve to continue the existing formula distributing 
dollars to the States under the Victims of Crime Act. As my colleagues 
know, I have long supported the Victims of Crime Act and I was among 
the original authors of this legislation in 1984.
  The Victims of Crime Act provides millions of dollars each year to 
provide crisis intervention services, counseling, victim/witness 
assistance, and short-term child care services to those Americans who 
have been victims of crime.
  In my home State of Delaware, thousands of victims of crime have been 
assisted through this fund. The purpose of this amendment is to ensure 
that these vital funds--more than $60 million this year--continue to 
our States unabated. I am pleased that Chairman Hollings and the 
ranking member, Senator Domenici, will be able to accept this amendment 
on behalf of the committee.
  Without this amendment, my home State of Delaware will lose $170,000 
in aid for its victims of crime. While we can never fully restore the 
loss of property and humanity to any victim of a terrible crime, it 
seems the absolute least we as a society can do is to provide any 
modest comfort we can. This is the intent of this amendment, and this 
will be the effect of the amendment for the citizens of Delaware should 
the amendment be passed into law. I urge its immediate adoption.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
distinguished Senator from New Mexico and myself be added as 
cosponsors.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Simon). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, we have no objection to the amendment 
Senator Biden sent to the desk and we have no objection to its 
adoption.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. I ask that the amendment be agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. If there is no further debate, the question is 
on agreeing to the amendment.
  The amendment (No. 2352) was agreed to.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which 
the amendment was agreed to.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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