[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 176 (Wednesday, November 8, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2128]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       POWDER AND CRACK COCAINE CRIMINALS DESERVE EQUAL TREATMENT

                                 ______


                        HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, November 8, 1995

  Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, I would ask all my colleagues to join in 
sponsoring legislation today which would equate the criminal penalties 
for offenses involving crack and powder cocaine.
  Last week President Clinton finally did something right in signing 
into law a bill denying the Sentencing Commission's recommendation on 
crack cocaine. He reaffirmed that offenses involving crack cocaine 
deserve severe punishment because of the damage they do to our society.
  Look at the facts: According to the Partnership for a Drug Free 
America, 1 out of every 10 babies born in the United States is born 
addicted to drugs, and most are addicted to crack cocaine. Crime 
skyrocketed between 1985 and 1990, the years crack was introduced. In 
fact, violent crime went up 37 percent in 1990 and aggravated assaults 
increased 43 percent. Because of crack cocaine, more teens in this 
country now die of gunshot wounds than all natural causes combined.
  The Congress, in the 1980's, reacted properly to the crack epidemic 
gripping vulnerable inner-city communities. We saw the destruction 
wrought on entire communities by this cheap and highly addictive form 
of cocaine. The Congress and the President are not going to reduce the 
criminal penalties involving crack cocaine.
  However, I recognize the disparities that exist as a result of the 
inequitable treatment of crack and powder cocaine. However, instead of 
lowering the penalties for crack offenses, as the Sentencing Commission 
mistakenly proposed, we should increase the punishment for powder 
offenses to the same level as crack cocaine. Cosponsoring this 
legislation is an opportunity to rectify the racial discrepancies which 
exist under current law.
  Mr. Speaker, the time has also come to reconsider the authority 
Congress has turned over to the Sentencing Commission regarding drug 
crimes. Within the next few days I will be introducing legislation to 
relinquish their authority. The Sentencing Commission should be 
reestablished as an advisory organization to provide guidance to the 
Congress. Clearly, recent decisions made by the Commission regarding 
crack cocaine and marijuana are convincing arguments for this 
correction.

                          ____________________