[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 109 (Tuesday, August 9, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 9, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      CRIME IS NOT SPELLED P-O-R-K

  (Mr. KNOLLENBERG asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Speaker, after 18 months of debate, the Clinton 
administration is on the verge of getting its long-sought economic 
stimulus package. Their marketing strategy; dress it is up as a crime 
bill.
  In fact, the bill's best and most public feature, 100,000 new police 
nationwide, is a fraud. The measure provides less than $15,000 per 
officer. While in reality, it will cost taxpayer's between $70,000 to 
$80,000 per officer, leaving cities scrambling for substantial matching 
funds.
  On the other hand, all of President's Clinton's social programs, such 
as midnight basketball games and arts and crafts programs, are fully 
funded--at taxpayer expense.
  Regardless of the financial burden, administration officials say that 
all opposition to the crime bill is in the back pocket of the National 
Rifle Association. Well, this simply is not the case.
  Let us take a look at just a few of the groups opposed to the crime 
bill. Amnesty International, ACLU, NAACP, and nearly every taxpayer 
watchdog group around. Quite a mixed bag, but definitely not a partisan 
one.
  The American people are not easily fooled and they will be anything 
but amused when we pass along the bill for this unwarranted $30-plus 
billion social spending package.
  Let us give the American people real crime control measures, instead 
of simply serving them more pork. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' 
on the crime rule.

                          ____________________