[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 51 (Friday, April 19, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3700-S3701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            CRIME IN AMERICA

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Thank you, Mr. President. I thank my colleague from 
Georgia.
  Mr. President, today all Americans will stop and remember the 
terrible tragedy that occurred 1 year ago today in Oklahoma City. We 
extend, all of us in the U.S. Congress and all over America, our 
prayers and our thoughts to those who lost family and friends in that 
senseless tragedy.
  Last week, Congress passed laws to make it harder for criminals to 
inflict the kind of terror we saw in Oklahoma City and at the New York 
World Trade Center before that. This antiterrorist law is just one 
small step toward taking back our cities, our towns, and our 
communities. Taking them back from dangerous and predator criminals who 
have made us afraid to walk the streets at night, who have forced us to 
put bars on our windows, and who have caused us to place metal 
detectors in our Federal buildings and in some public schools in our 
country.
  Mr. President, one thing the law we just passed does is make it 
harder for prison inmates to file years and years of appeals that tie 
up our courts for years, dulling the sword of justice. Often, to many 
Americans, it seems as if our court system cares more about criminals' 
rights than the rights of law-abiding citizens. But there is more the 
American people expect of us. They have had enough of liberal judges 
who think it is their responsibility to turn dangerous criminals out to 
society, when society would like to keep them behind bars. They are 
tired of a revolving-door justice system.

[[Page S3701]]

  According to a recent study by the Bureau of Justice statistics, an 
incredible 94 percent of State prisoners are violent criminals or 
repeat offenders.
  I introduced legislation this year that is on its way to the 
President. It will permit the States to take back control of their 
prison systems away from Federal judges who are out of touch with the 
everyday concerns of working, law-abiding families. In my own State, 
one Federal judge has taken it upon himself to say that prison cells in 
the State prisons are too small and there is not enough recreation 
space. What is his remedy? His remedy is to release prisoners early. As 
a result, in Texas, violent criminals serve 6 months of every year of 
their sentences.
  Mr. President, what we need is judges who understand it is not cruel 
and unusual punishment for a criminal who has a victim to endure a hot, 
uncomfortable jail cell without color TV, without his or her favorite 
foods, without indoor and outdoor recreational facilities.
  Mr. President, Americans are ready for a prison system that does not 
more for prisoners, but less for prisoners and more for law-abiding 
citizens. No prisoner should be eligible for early release or parole 
who is not drug free, able to read, and trained in a skill that will 
enable that person to get a job outside. If you cannot function in 
society outside, you should remain inside the prison if you have not 
served your time.
  We should say very clearly to those who commit crimes and end up 
behind bars, we want you to learn to cooperate with society. We want to 
give you a chance. You are locked up because you did not cooperate with 
society and you have a victim.
  The Speaker of the House said, ``We ought to require prisoners to 
work 48 hours a week and study 12 hours a week. If we kept them busy 60 
hours a week doing something positive, I think they would be different 
people when they go out into the word. Recidivism would fall and 
victims would be spared.''
  Mr. President, what is the first and foremost responsibility of 
Government? The first and foremost responsibility is to provide law-
abiding citizens the conditions to live freely. But for too long, the 
Federal Government and Federal judges have interfered with the 
responsibility of States to meet their first responsibility to their 
citizens. Texans and Americans all over this country have had enough. 
They are tired of politicians and judges that blame society for crime. 
They blame criminals for crime. They would like for Government to do 
the same thing.

  There were 10 million violent crimes in America in 1993. Those were 
the ones that were reported. Mr. President, 100,000 criminals were sent 
to prison to serve time for violent crimes. What has happened to a 
criminal justice system that imprisons 1 person in 100 for every 
violent crime committed in this country?
  Mr. President, we can put barricades in front of the White House, but 
too many Americans do not have that luxury. Ordinary citizens are faced 
each day with the threat of violent crime. They have had enough. They 
want their streets back. They want their communities back.
  Mr. President, I want to end with a recollection that I had 1 year 
ago today. It was from a victim of the Oklahoma tragedy. I will never 
forget watching television, as so many of us in this country did, and I 
saw this man, bandaged, his eyes swollen shut, you could not see 
anything else on his face, and a news reporter put a camera and a 
microphone in front of this victim. He was a man who had gotten up and 
gone to work that day. His life had blown up in front of him in just a 
few short minutes. The reporter said, ``How do you feel?'' This man, 
through his bandages and his swollen eyes, said, ``I feel like I live 
in the greatest country on Earth, and I'm going to have to work harder 
to make it better.''
  Mr. President, that victim's spirit will do more to return this 
country to its bearing than any laws that Congress could pass.
  Our Nation's leaders must strive to do what is legally possible to 
give our citizens a society in which they can go to work and raise 
their families freely.
  But, Mr. President, even more important, our leaders should never 
forget the victims' spirit from Oklahoma City and all the people who 
came to help after that tragedy in the great spirit of this country. We 
must remember that spirit is what will rebuild this country, that is 
the spirit on which this country's future is based.
  We will provide the laws. We have done that. We have done that this 
week and we must do more. But we must also come back to our bearings. 
What made this country great was people who love this country no matter 
what victimization they have had. They are going to work harder to make 
it better.
  Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.
  Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I appreciate the remarks of the Senator 
from Texas. As always, she is an eloquent voice on this subject, and I 
am most pleased that she could be here this morning.
  Mr. President, I yield up to 10 minutes to the Senator from Ohio.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Ohio is recognized for up to 
10 minutes.

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