[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 106 (Thursday, August 4, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                             THE CRIME BILL

  (Mr. SANGMEISTER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SANGMEISTER. Mr. Speaker, in talking with my constituents back in 
the district, they all tell me that aside from the importance of 
passing health care legislation, crime is still the No. 1 issue. While 
it is true that crime is most often addressed at the State and local 
level, the Federal Government can take important steps to reduce crime 
in this country.
  Will 100,000 more cope help? Only time will tell, but it certainly 
will not hurt. Will death penalty for drug kingpins stop the drug 
problems in this country? Not entirely, but it will send the message 
that this country will no longer tolerate such activities. Will 
building more prisons put every single person who as committed a crime 
in jail, and keep them there? Probably not, but it will insure that we 
have more space to keep those individuals who deserve to be in prison--
in prison--rather than early release as we do now. Will the money for 
prevention programs be well spent? Some argue the opposite, but we owe 
it to the American people to try everything in our means to stop the 
violence before it occurs.
  Not everyone will be completely happy with everything in this bill. 
This is the legislative process, this is what we were elected to do, we 
must not fail.

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