[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 69 (Thursday, April 27, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S5749]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, this week is Crime Victims' Rights Week. It 
was so designated by the President long before the devastating events 
in Oklahoma City last Wednesday. Our hearts go out to the families and 
victims of that terrible criminal act.
  I know that the Attorney General and entire Federal, State, local, 
and international law enforcement community are dedicated to bringing 
those responsible for this heinous act to justice.
  I rise today to commend those who are working so hard on behalf of 
all crime victims in crime victims' assistance and compensation 
programs.
  Over the last 15 years we have made strides in recognizing crime 
victims' rights and providing much needed assistance. I am proud to 
have played a role in passage of the Victims and Witness Protection Act 
of 1982, the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, and the Victims' Rights and 
Restitution Act of 1990 and the other improvements we have been able to 
make.
  Indeed, only last year, in the Violent Crime Control Act of 1994, 
Congress acted to make tens of millions of dollars available to crime 
victims. No amount of money can make up for the harm and trauma of 
being the victim of a crime, but we should do all that we can to see 
that victims are assisted, compensated, and treated with dignity by the 
criminal justice system.
  With this in mind, I was shocked to find that the House-passed 
legislation that would devastate funding for crime victims' assistance 
programs and funding for child advocacy centers in the so-called 
Personal Responsibility Act, H.R. 4. Among the most important advances 
achieved over the last few years has been our attention to crime 
victims. We need to do more, not less.
  The House bill would have the effect of reversing recent progress by 
prohibiting the use of the crime victims fund for victims' assistance. 
That is the effect of section 371(b)(2) of the House-passed bill. 
Buried in the fine print in a section entitled ``other repealers'' is 
the end of the Federal Crime Victims' Assistance Program. That is wrong 
and I strenuously oppose such efforts.
  We in the Senate should use this week, Crime Victims' Rights Week, to 
declare our opposition to the House's short-sighted legislation. No one 
should need a reminder of how important our crime victims' assistance 
programs are.
  For those who do, there is the recent, tragic examples of the bombing 
of the Oklahoma City Federal building and the gut-wrenching events that 
occur all too often in all too many of our urban and rural 
jurisdictions throughout the country.
  Recognizing appropriate rights of crime victims is essential to 
securing dignity and a proper place in the criminal justice process for 
crime victims and their families. Last year, the Violent Crime Control 
Act included provisions to ensure a right of allocation for victims of 
crimes of violence or sexual abuse. This is the right to be heard at 
sentencing, the opportunity for the crime victim to speak to the court 
either directly or through a family member or legal representative. I 
fully support that addition to Federal law.
  Indeed, I plan to introduce a bill that would extend that right to 
all Federal crimes.


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