[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 26 (Thursday, February 9, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H1531-H1532]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      LAW ENFORCEMENT BLOCK GRANTS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut [Ms. DeLauro] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the streets of my district are safer today 
because of the 1994 crime bill. Streets are becoming safer across this 
country 
[[Page H1532]]  because we are putting more police officers on the 
beat.
  Sadly, in the name of politics, the Republican majority wants to undo 
our progress. The 1994 crime bill struck the right balance between 
prisons, police, and prevention. This bill was tough on criminals, as 
it should be. It also recognized that the best way to deal with crime 
was to prevent it from happening in the first place. And this means 
more community policing, more cops on the beat. The 1994 crime bill 
does it right, with the Public Safety Partnership and Community 
Policing Act, better known as COPS.
  Next week we will consider a bill that would destroy this effective 
program and replace it with an approach that does not guarantee a 
single new cop on the beat. This new bill is absolutely unnecessary. 
Why would we ever want to destroy a program that is working? I can only 
conclude that it is because of politics, and that is sad, because 
politics should not be allowed to threaten programs that save lives and 
improve safety.
  Mr. Speaker, when I voted for the 1994 crime bill, I made a promise 
to the people of the Third District of Connecticut. I promised them 
that I would help put 1,500 more cops on the streets of our cities, and 
100,000 on the streets of this Nation by the year 2000.
  The President is doing his part to keep the promise he made when he 
signed the 1994 crime bill into law. His budget for 1996 includes $1.9 
billion to hire 20,000 more police officers and to support community 
policing programs across this country. When combined with last year's 
appropriations, there will be 40,000 more police officers hired and 
trained this year. In my district alone, funding has already been 
awarded to hire 32 police officers in 10 municipalities.
  Like the President, I believe we have an obligation to our 
communities to continue the Community Policing Program. I know how this 
program works, because I have seen it firsthand. I have seen the 
difference that it has made in my district, in cities like New Haven 
and Stratford, CT.
  In 1990, my hometown of New Haven had the unfortunate distinction of 
having the highest crime rate of any city in Connecticut. Then police 
and community leaders came together and implemented a Community 
Policing Program. Three years later, New Haven has a much prouder 
distinction. Crime was reduced by 7 percent in the first year of the 
program, and by 10 percent in the second year. In fact, New Haven's 
Community Policing Program has become a model for this Nation.
  But under the Republican bill, other municipalities may never have a 
chance to replicate this model. The Republican bill destroys the COPS 
Program. The Republican block bill grant does not guarantee that States 
and municipalities will ever spend one penny on this kind of crime 
prevention, and the track record of existing block grant programs is 
not encouraging. According to the National Association of Child 
Advocates, the states spend only 7 percent of the money that they 
receive through the Byrne Law Enforcement Block Grant Program on 
prevention activities, including community policing expenditures.
  I support giving flexibility to local officials and using the 
resources that we provide. The last year's crime bill did provide 
flexibility. It struck the right balance between flexibility, 
accountability, and security. I urge my colleagues to support our 
police and our communities by keeping our commitment to the COPS 
Program. Let us put COPS on the beat.
  I have walked in my neighborhoods with the police. I have driven 
around with them. I have seen how its program is working. I want to the 
businesses with the cop on the beat and have felt their sense of 
security with the police officers being there.
  This is a program that keeps our cities safe, our streets safe, and 
our businesses more in tune with what they want to do, which is keep 
their business without being concerned about what crime is going to do.
  Let us maintain the Cops on the Beat Program. It is in fact making 
our streets safer.


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