[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 120 (Sunday, August 21, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 21, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
  URGING MEMBERS TO PUT ASIDE PARTISAN POLITICS AND VOTE FOR A BETTER 
                               CRIME BILL

  (Mr. MACHTLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. MACHTLEY. Mr. Speaker, 6 days shall we labor and do all of our 
work, but on the seventh day let us do the work of the people in this 
country. Let us on this day gladly work together to pass a crime bill.
  Mr. Speaker, when we joined together and stood firm, Republicans 
mostly, and some Democrats, and voted down the rule, I think it was an 
important issue. We felt we could get a better bill. Today, I believe 
we are going to see a better bill. Each of us could, no doubt, draft a 
bill which would be better suited for ourselves, for our States, and 
even for our constituents. However, the job of this Congress is to 
draft a piece of legislation which can pass with 50-plus 1 percent of 
this House, and which will be for the country at large.
  Let us do that today. Let us work together in what I believe is a 
good bill, a good compromise, one which will save the taxpayers money, 
one which will, in fact, have block grants, one which will put back 
tough policies for fighting crime, and one which I consider to be a 
good bill.
  Mr. Speaker, let us take the bipartisanship approach, let us take out 
of this approach partisan politics and pass what the country is waiting 
for, a good crime bill.

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