[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 114 (Thursday, August 5, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1785-E1786]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED 
                   AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2000

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 4, 1999

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under

[[Page E1786]]

     consideration the bill (H.R. 2670) making appropriations for 
     the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the 
     Judiciary, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
     September 30, 2000, and for other purposes:

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, five years ago next month, Congress passed 
and the President signed into law the most comprehensive piece of 
Federal anti-crime legislation in history. Now, the Majority seems 
intent on slashing funding for the centerpiece of that bill--the COPS 
program. In that time, COPS has provided law enforcement agencies in my 
district and across the nation with critical funding to fight and 
prevent crime. In my district, communities in Hunterdon, Monmouth, 
Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset counties have received more than $14 
million to fund the addition of 290 officers to the beat.
  The creation of the COPS program was a breakthrough in law 
enforcement. By funding additional officers, critical technologies, and 
valuable training, COPS has been a catalyst for the revolutionary shift 
to community policing.
  COPS and community policing have put us on the right track. Crime is 
at its lowest level in more than a quarter of a century. Violent crime 
is at a 27 year low. the murder rate is lower than it has been in three 
decades. And the police chiefs and sheriffs in my district consistently 
tell me that we could have never achieved this much without the 
additional officers and technology funded under the COPS program.
  In May, COPS provided for the 100,000th officer and some think this 
means that we can pat ourselves on the back and declare victory. I 
disagree.
  Crime is still too high. While we have made progress, violent crime 
is still six times higher than it was in 1962. And more than 18,000 
people were murdered in the U.S. last year. We can and must do more.
  That is why I support continuing the COPS program to add 30,000 to 
50,000 more officers to the street. Every major law enforcement group, 
as well as the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of 
Cities support this proposal.
  Mr. Chairman, we cannot afford to play politics with the safety of 
our communities. Congress should reauthorize and fully fund the COPS 
program.

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