[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 113 (Saturday, August 13, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                         BIPARTISAN CRIME BILL

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, finally, I would just say on the crime bill, 
I know we are going to be off on health care here in about 10 minutes 
for several hours today. It is my hope that the President, as I said 
yesterday, will see this not as a defeat under some procedural vote in 
the House but as an opportunity to work out some of the differences 
with Members of both parties and to indicate again that bipartisanship 
means you start together and you work together; you do not put it 
together and then ask the other party, whichever party it is, to come 
on board.
  I am very hopeful that the President will consult with Members of 
both parties and take out some of the excessive spending in the package 
that went from a few billion dollars in the bill that passed the Senate 
by a vote of 95 to 4, I think it was, or 94 to 5 and then was 
increased, doubled, tripled, quadrupled on the House side, billions of 
dollars without any hearings and without much debate.
  I think if that were done, and then some of the tough provisions that 
were dropped out of the crime bill were put back in, in my view, that 
would go a long way toward reaching strong bipartisan support for what 
is, what could be a very important piece of legislation. It is not a 
good bill, as the New York Times said today. It is not a good bill now, 
but it could be a good bill. It should be a good bill, and it should be 
bipartisan.
  If the President is willing to work in that fashion, I think it would 
be helpful not only with reference to the crime bill but maybe other 
legislation that is pending and will be pending before we complete our 
work this year.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The absence of a quorum is noted. 
The clerk will call the roll.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, will the Senator withhold.
  Mr. DOLE. I withhold.
  Mr. KENNEDY. I thank the Senator.
  Mr. President, I yield myself such time as I might use until other 
Members come over who wish to address the Senate in morning business, 
and then I will withhold the rest of my comments until later in the 
morning.

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