[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]

 
                         SUPPORT THE CRIME BILL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Connecticut [Mr. Shays] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I have met some of the finest men and women I 
have ever met anywhere who serves in this House and I say that 
sometimes to people back in my district and they say, ``You've got to 
be kidding.'' I love being a Member of Congress. I love the opportunity 
I have to serve the people of the Fourth Congressional District, and I 
truly have incredible respect for my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle.
  I know we are very tired, I feel in some cases some harsh feelings 
are expressed because no one likes to be caught in the position where 
if they vote against a crime bill, it is viewed that they are not 
wanting to be tough on crime. There is that political axiom that says 
that controversy is the enemy of the incumbent, that somehow if you 
stir things up, you get people angry on both sides and then you lose 
out.

                              {time}  1520

  There is no question there is a lot of controversy. I know that 
Members who voted for the rule are being criticized. I know Members who 
voted against the rule are being criticized. I know we went back to our 
districts and explained why we did what we did, and now we are kind of 
not boxed in, but certainly have staked out our position so now we have 
to explain what we did last week, and now what we do this week.
  We all have the same incredible feelings. We are getting people 
speaking to us from both sides on that issue. But I am troubled by a 
number of things.
  We are going to be criticized if people think there is pork in the 
bill, and we are going to be criticized if people think this is a crime 
bill and we did not vote for it. There is just going to be criticism 
that way. But when I look at what happened last week, I know that 
spending went up in the conference report from $27.8 to $33.5 billion. 
But it was not because of any increase in prevention funds. It was 
because we went from $3.4 billion to $8.8 billion in putting more cops 
on the street.
  I have to tell Members I represent a district that knows that the 
best way to deal with crime, in my judgment, is to deal with law 
enforcement, to have more prisons, and also to have preventive 
programs. There were a group of Members on both sides of the aisle who 
tried to see if we could make this bill a better bill. I think they 
have succeeded. They brought the bottom line of the spending from $33 
billion down to $30 billion. They have brought it down below the level 
of the trust funds. It is more responsible fiscally.
  We have cut one third from the enforcement side, which is three 
quarters of the budget. They have cut two thirds from the part that is 
prevention which is one fourth of the budget. We have a situation here, 
Mr. Speaker, where my colleagues on my side of the aisle have 
rightfully asked for changes and Democrats have made those changes. We 
have taken 13 of the categorical grants some grants that people have a 
difficult time with, and we have combined them into one program so 
people in the districts can decide what program they want.
  The bottom line for me is that I believe this is a bill that has as 
many Republican fingerprints as Democratic fingerprints, and I know it 
is a bill that we all have to compromise on. I believe in a full life 
sentence. I do not believe in the death penalty, but I am not going to 
vote against a good bill that includes the death penalty.
  I hope in the end when we vote on this bill we simply vote our 
conscience and go back out to our districts and explain our vote.
  One thing to the Democratic side. My colleagues on that side of the 
aisle had a situation where they could have gone their own way, but 
would have had to take the assault weapons from it, and they have 
worked with the Republicans to keep the assault weapon ban in, and had 
to compromise, and had to compromise maybe more than they wanted to. 
But I think if my colleagues will look at the bill they will see that 
it is a better bill with those compromises.
  If Members are unhappy with their leadership and what they have done, 
recognize it was an attempt to keep the assault weapon ban in. Let us 
face it, the vote last week really centered on that whole issue.
  I hope we get out a strong bill which has the preventive side, which 
my district needs, particularly the urban areas and I hope we vote out 
this bill which provides an increase for prisons of $9.9 billion 
because it is all real money, that still has for enforcement $13.4 
billion. I hope we vote out this bill and do it today.

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