[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 110 (Wednesday, August 10, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 10, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            VOTES AGAINST CRIME BILL MAY BE HARD TO EXPLAIN

  (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, back in April I read from a letter 
circulated among House Republicans on the crime bill. In it, the writer 
said that if Republicans can defeat the crime bill, they can give the 
crime issue back to Republicans for the upcoming elections.
  Now, aside from the callous disregard for the welfare of the American 
people which this letter displays, there is the question of how 
Republican incumbents intend to pull this little trick off.
  How will Republican Members explain to their voters that they are 
tough on crime, after having voted against putting 100,000 more police 
officers on the streets?
  How will they explain to their voters that they are tough on crime, 
after having voted against more money for prison construction?
  How will they explain to their voters that they are tough on crime, 
after having voted against taking street sweepers, AK-47's, and TEC-9's 
out of the hands of drug dealers and gang members?
  How will they explain that they are tough on crime, after having 
voted against the ``three strikes'' provision?
  There was a great Republican President who issued a warning about 
trying to fool all the people all the time. They ought to keep that 
advice closer to their hearts.

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