[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 27 (Friday, February 10, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1599]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1530
              MANDATED SENTENCING: LISTEN TO THE GOVERNORS

  (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HOYER Mr. Speaker, unfortunately I did not have in my possession 
a letter which I now have from Governor Carnahan of Missouri and 
Governor Carson of Minnesota. It deals with H.R. 667, the Violent 
Criminal Incarceration Act of 1995.
  We have just passed that act, and I voted for a couple of amendments 
that lost. But I would want the Members to have this brought to their 
attention.
  Obviously a Democrat and a Republican Governor in speaking to it, 
they say, ``This would make it difficult for many of our States to 
participate in the proposed requirements.'' What they were referring to 
were the sentencing requirements. The Governors go on to say, and I 
think this is important for us to note in consideration of the Federal 
mandate bill that we debated extensively, the govenors say, ``Federally 
mandated sentencing structure could disrupt the State efforts.'' The 
efforts to which they were referring was beefing up sentencing.
  They conclude by saying, Mr. Speaker, ``as Governors, we support 
maximum flexibility that recognizes the efforts currently in place or 
under way in many of our States. We urge you to strike the sentencing 
requirements in H.R. 667 and allow States to utilize Federal funds to 
establish truth-in-sentencing as it relates to the laws in our 
individual States.''
  Mr. Speaker, I believe as that legislation moves further through the 
process and comes back here, we ought to take into consideration the 
Governors' words.

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