[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 117 (Thursday, August 18, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 18, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
     AMERICANS WANT PUNISHMENT FOR CRIMES, NOT MORE SOCIAL PROGRAMS

  (Mr. COX asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks and include extraneous 
matter.)
  Mr. COX. Mr. Speaker, for the last 30 years America has lived through 
a prolonged failed liberal social experiment that has explained away 
and justified criminal behavior; indeed, subsidized it with ever more 
Federal programs. Like the war on poverty, the Great Society war on 
crime has failed.
  These words contain mistaken premises: First, insufficient federally 
mandated welfare is the cause of crime; second, more welfare would 
reduce crime; third, more Federal programs will reduce crime.
  In California where I come from, we have nearly 400 convicted murders 
on death row. They are awaiting their executions and have been for 
decades. We have not executed but one convicted murderer since the 
1960's.
  The American people want swift, certain, and severe punishment for 
crimes, and by the way, they want that punishment to be accomplished as 
inexpensively as possible. Instead, this crime bill takes $9 billion 
away from working families through taxes, it takes $9 billion that 
could have been used to actually punish crimes and deter them in that 
fashion, and spends it on things like midnight basketball.
  We have heard some defense for it. Let me explain why midnight 
basketball was fine point of light when it was a locally organized 
program, but why it will not work when it is a new Federal social 
program.
  Mr. Speaker, it is clear: Midnight basketball is about to become the 
next victim of Federal regulation.
  Mr. Speaker, I will include for the Record the following information:

                      Subtitle F--Midnight Sports

       The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, in 
     consultation with the Attorney General of the United States, 
     the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Education, shall 
     make grants, to the extent that amounts are approved in 
     appropriations under subsection (k) to the following 
     entities:
       (A) Entities eligible under section 520(b) of the Cranston-
     Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 11903a(b) 
     for a grant under section 520(a) of that Act.
       (B) Nonprofit organizations providing crime prevention, 
     employment counseling, job training, or other educational 
     services.
       (C) Nonprofit organizations providing federally assisted 
     low-income housing. . .
       Any eligible entity that receives a grant under subsection 
     (a) may use the grant only--
       (1) to establish or carry out a midnight sports league 
     program under subsection (d);
       (2) for salaries for administrators and staff of the 
     program;
       (3) for other administrative costs of the program, except 
     that not more than 5 percent of the grant may be used for 
     such administrative costs; and
       (4) for costs of training and assistance provided under 
     subsection (d).
       Each eligible entity receiving a grant under subsection (a) 
     shall establish a midnight sports league program as follows:
       (1) The program shall establish a sports league of not less 
     than 80 players.
       (2) Not less than 50 percent of the players in the sports 
     league shall be residents of federally assisted low-income 
     housing.
       (3) The program shall be designed to serve primarily youths 
     and young adults from a neighborhood or community whose 
     population has not less than 2 of the following 
     characteristics (in comparison with national averages):.
       (a) A substantial problem regarding use or sale of illegal 
     drugs. . . .
       (c) A high incidence of persons infected with HIV or 
     sexually transmitted disease.

  Mr. Speaker, It is clear: Midnight basketball is about to become the 
next victim of Federal regulation.

{time}  1820

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