[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 62 (Tuesday, May 7, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H4500-H4501]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        OUTSTANDING LEGISLATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Fox] is recognized for 
60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I will just take a few moments 
to address the House, just to congratulate my colleagues today who 
introduced outstanding legislation which was passed. Dick Chrysler's 
bill which is going to increase the penalties for those who commit 
crimes against children and the elderly, and by doing this we will put 
a disincentive in our criminal justice system for those who were 
thinking about committing violent crimes against children under 14 and 
the elderly.
  I also commend Congressman Royce from California for his outstanding 
legislation which will for the first time create the Federal offense of 
stalking between States. I was pleased to hear from one of his 
constituents who had a 13-year ordeal with someone stalking her and her 
life in jeopardy constantly. Others have not been as fortunate to be 
able to live through the experience and thank goodness for Edward 
Royce's legislation that will now put some teeth in the law to add a 
disincentive in severe penalties for those who would commit the crime 
of Federal stalking.
  Finally, I wish to congratulate Dick Zimmer, who passed today with 
our help Megan's law. The Kanka family, Megan Kanka, who was brutally 
murdered and raped by a criminal who lived right across the street 
virtually in her neighborhood in New Jersey.

                              {time}  2300

  That crime was so egregious that we now have a new Federal law which 
will require that there be, by those criminals who have committed prior 
acts of sexual offenses, to be registered, and so we can make sure that 
we limit the amount of crimes like these again and so that Megan's life 
will not have been in vain.
  Her parents, Maureen and Richard Kanka, gave eloquent testimony this 
morning here at the Capitol about the importance of Megan's law in 
requiring that our States notify communities of the presence of 
convicted sex offenders who might pose a danger, just like they did to 
their daughter. And our hearts

[[Page H4501]]

and prayers go out to that family. We thank them for their efforts in 
what they have done, working with Congressman Zimmer to pass this 
important law.
  I also thank my colleagues as well for their support of my anticrime 
legislation which will add severe penalties for those who would tamper 
with witnesses, tamper with jurors or intimidate witnesses, and I 
appreciate the fact that here today in Congress we passed four 
important anticrime laws which will go to protect our citizens and 
further to make sure that our justice system is preserved.

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