[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 9, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1180]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   GUN CRIME PROSECUTION ACT OF 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM UDALL

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 8, 1999

  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, today, I along with 
Congresswoman McCarthy and Congressman Moore and other cosponsors 
introduce a bill that will put at least one Federal prosecutor in every 
State to focus upon prosecuting gun crimes.
  There is no question that our nation is facing a growing scourge of 
gun violence that is holding an increasing number of our communities 
under siege. Crimes committed with firearms are among the most heinous, 
and should be prosecuted as quickly and forcefully as possible.
  While the federal government has, in the past, approached the problem 
of gun violence by passing new federal laws and putting more cops on 
the beat, there is nothing that can be done to attack the problem if 
our prosecutors do not have the resources they need to enforce these 
existing laws.
  Simply put, we must give them the resources they need to fully 
enforce existing gun laws. That is why we have introduced the Gun Crime 
Prosecution Act of 1999.
  This legislation will give every United States Attorney for each 
judicial district an additional Assistant US Attorney position whose 
sole purpose would be the prosecution of crimes committed with a 
firearm. Specifically, each new prosecutor position would give priority 
to violent crimes and crimes committed by felons. By committing a full-
time position within each US Attorney's office to prosecuting gun 
crimes, we will be giving our prosecutors the tools they need to 
enforce the laws that already exist in statute.
  We hope you will join us in this effort by signing on to the Gun 
Crime Prosecution Act of 1999, and giving our prosecutors the help they 
need to make our communities safer.
  The National Fraternal Order of Police endorses this bill. The 
National President, Mr. Gilbert Gallegos, states that this bill 
``addresses a key component of crime control which has been overlooked 
in much of the debate about new firearms law--the need to provide the 
resources to prosecute offenders.''
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this bill.

                                        Fraternal Order of Police,


                                 National Legislative Program,

                                       Washington, DC, 27 May 1999
     Hon. Tom Udall,
     U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Udall, I am writing on behalf of the 
     277,000 members of the National Fraternal Order of Police to 
     advise you of our strong support of legislation you intend to 
     introduce in the House of Representatives today.
       The bill provides for an additional prosecutor in each U.S. 
     Attorney's office who will devote his or her time exclusively 
     to the prosecution of firearms crimes. Your legislation 
     addresses a key component of crime control which has been 
     overlooked in much of the debate about new firearms law--the 
     need to provide the resources to prosecute offenders. We 
     believe that a more vigorous prosecution of the laws already 
     on the books will dramatically impact violent crime in our 
     nation, and we further believe that this legislation will put 
     our most dangerous criminals--those who use guns--behind 
     bars.
       I salute your leadership on this issue and want to thank 
     you for reaching out to the Fraternal Order of Police on this 
     issue. If there is anything we can do to help move this 
     legislation, please do not hesitate to contact me or 
     Executive Director Jim Pasco through my Washington office.
           Sincerely,
                                              Gilbert G. Gallegos,
                                               National President.

     

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