[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]

 
             PASS THE HUNTER-BREWSTER COMPROMISE CRIME BILL

  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute).
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, let me speak to all of my colleagues, both 
Democrats and Republicans. We have not had a chance to see the 
conference report bill. There is not one person in this House today who 
has seen the entire final conference report, so why are we voting on 
it? And why do you not say to your leadership and why do we not say to 
our leadership, ``Hold it, hold it. Let's take a look at the conference 
report and see what exactly has been agreed upon.''
  This conference bill was $28 billion when it left the House. Today, 
it is $30 billion, even after the reductions. If it was a bad bill when 
it was $28 billion, why is it a better bill now when it is $30 billion?
  And for all of the folks who complain that Republicans complain about 
the pork, they all should know that there are 226 crime prevention 
programs already in existence. These 30 new programs just duplicate 
what is already available in federal programs. We do not need them. 
That is why all of us are strenuously saying let us vote for the 
recommit of the conference report which allows us a vote on the back-
to-basic crime bill offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma, Mr. 
Brewster, a Democrat colleague, and the gentleman from California, Mr. 
Duncan Hunter. This bill goes a long way to restoring legislation that 
fights crime with no pork, no duplication of programs, and it is 
something all of us can be proud of. And also, we can all have a chance 
to read this bill because it has been written and is available. Please 
contact Representative Chris Cox, California, if you would like a copy 
of this bill. You can not read the conference report bill because it is 
not available. Please vote for the Hunter-Brewster back-to-basic crime 
bill.

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