[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 104 (Tuesday, August 2, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 2, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                REJECT THE CRIME BILL CONFERENCE REPORT

  (Mr. SENSENBRENNER asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, if you think that a bunch of Senators 
and Representatives in Washington can solve the crime problem in this 
country by throwing $33 billion at social and other programs, think 
again. Our colleagues in the State legislatures think otherwise.
  Last week the Washington Times reported from the National Council of 
State Legislators Convention in New Orleans that many of the State 
legislators are not enamored with the crime bill which will be coming 
up tomorrow, because it contains too many Federal requirements and too 
many Federal mandates to be of much use to States and local governments 
in fighting crime.
  Let us face it: Crime on our streets is not fought by the FBI or the 
U.S. Marshal Service, it is fought by our local police departments and 
sheriffs departments and it seems to me that the way we fight crime the 
best is by helping State and local governments with the resources and 
the wherewithal, without all kinds of congressionally imposed mandates, 
to fight crime where it happens. That is why this crime bill should be 
rejected. It is an assault of federalism. We should go back to the 
drawing boards and do something that will help our States and 
localities rather than posturing with an election coming up.

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