[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 116 (Wednesday, August 17, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 17, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                             THE CRIME BILL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Barrett] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I will vote in support of the 
crime bill because it is the right thing to do, and I urge my 
colleagues to respond to the pressure and support this bill.
  I am not talking about the pressure exerted by the President. I am 
not talking about the pressure exerted by lobbyists or special 
interests, and I do not mean the political pressure whether passage of 
this bill will be good for one's reelection. Anyone who makes a 
decision on this bill based on those pressures does not deserve to be 
back here next year.
  I am talking about the pressure we should all feel because there are 
kids dying in violent ways in the streets of my hometown in Milwaukee 
and on streets throughout our country. Members of Congress should feel 
the pressure because the people of our country sent us here because 
they have faith in our ability to get something done. They did not send 
us here to use every procedural trick in the book to stop progress on 
the one issue they have said is most important: to safely walk the 
streets at night and to feel safe in their homes.
  We all know that this bill or any other bill is no panacea. Congress 
will never be able to fashion a bill that completely obliterates crime, 
but a comprehensive approach to crime fighting is our only shot at 
making a difference, and this bill attacks crime from many important 
angles.

                              {time}  1920

  First, the bill would put an additional 100,000 police officers on 
the streets of America. For my home State of Wisconsin, that translates 
into another 2,000 cops walking the streets. It is plain and simple, 
more police on the beats means safer neighborhoods. We all know that.
  Second, the bill increases penalties for violent crimes and puts 
repeat violent offenders behind bars for life. The ``three strikes and 
you are out'' provision counts State crimes as the first two strikes, 
thereby expanding the number of criminals the law covers.
  The crime bill toughens penalties for gang activities and drug 
crimes.
  Third, the bill bans the sale and manufacture of military assault 
weapons. I have heard the claim that the second amendment rights are 
being violated, but there is no doubt in my mind that following 
enactment of this law all the citizens of the United States will remain 
free to exercise their right to bear arms. The second amendment does 
not give anyone the right to have a big fighter jet parked in their 
driveway or a nuclear sub in the backyard pool.
  I come from Wisconsin where hunting is very important. In fact, it is 
an integral part of the history, culture, and economy of my State. I 
have heard claims these weapons are needed for sport. I have studied 
this bill carefully. I believe it will not prevent hunters and 
sportsmen from engaging in legitimate hunting pursuits.
  With over 650 weapons specifically exempted by name in this 
legislation, I am confident there remains ample opportunity for hunting 
and sport.
  I have also heard the claims this provision will do nothing to reduce 
crime. While these weapons make up less than one-half of 1 percent of 
the firearms in this country, they account for 8 percent of the 
firearms that can be traced to crimes. The weapons prohibited under 
this measure are military weapons. They are not designed as toys. They 
are not designed for sport. They are designed with only one purpose in 
mind: killing people.
  I talked to a constituent in my office recently who is opposed to the 
ban on assault weapons. He said the number of crimes committed with 
assault weapons is statistically insignificant. I told him to look in 
the eyes of a woman whose husband had been killed by an assault weapon, 
a police officer near our home, and tell her that her husband was 
statistically insignificant. He could not do so.
  Fourth and finally, this bill also funds important crime prevention 
programs. We have heard a lot in this chamber about the basketball 
program. I will tell you that I think the basketball program is a good 
program. When I look at basketball and what it can do for young people 
or any other sport, for that matter, I think it can provide positive 
outlooks.
  I recently held a youth summit with the youth in my district and 
asked them, as the experts on what we could do for them, what they 
recommended. What they told me is they need positive outlets for their 
energy. They need positive things to do where they can work with other 
teens, and if you look at a team sport like basketball or baseball or 
football or any other team sport, I look at that sport and it teaches 
teamwork. It teaches hustle. It teaches determination. It teaches 
effort. It teaches a young person the value of winning, and it teaches 
a young person that they can get up after losing and go on.
  In my mind those are all-American values that I think we should be 
pushing as hard as we can so that the young people in this country 
learn how to work with other young people. For me that is very 
important.
  The United States has a higher incarceration rate than any advanced 
nation in the world. That tells me that the answer to our crime problem 
goes beyond just tougher penalties. It tells me there is something 
fundamentally wrong with the way many of our children are growing up.
  Again, we have to provide ways to prevent them from committing crimes 
in the first place, and by having programs like the basketball program 
we can do so.
  Many of these prevention programs are designed to provide positive 
alternatives for our youth. Included in these programs are education, 
job training, drug treatment, mentoring, and recreation initiatives. 
These activities do not coddle criminals at all. Rather, they seek to 
prevent children from growing up and becoming criminals.
  We owe it to the American people to pass a crime bill. What higher 
responsibility do we have here than to work together to improve the 
safety of American families?
  I respect the right of Members of Congress to disagree with some of 
the provisions of this bill. I don't agree with everything in it 
either. But Members of Congress must not abdicate their responsibility 
to work together to put new Federal laws on the books that put 
criminals out of business.
  Let's stop playing politics with the crime bill. Let's show the 
American people we can work together to get something done for them.

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