[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 138 (Tuesday, December 7, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DIRECTING CLERK OF THE HOUSE TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS IN 
                        ENROLLMENT OF H.R. 4818

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                               speech of

                          HON. ROBERT C. SCOTT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, December 6, 2004

  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I support this provision to fix 
the misguided insertion in the Omnibus Appropriations bill allowing 
Congressional staff to view individual tax returns. However, I protest 
the process through which that insertion, and others, were inserted 
into a 3,000-plus page spending bill without the knowledge of most 
members and without an opportunity to correct all of them.
  One such additional insertion is a provision which effectively 
eliminates one of our most effective tools to fight crime--the Federal 
Prison Industries program. Study after study--some of them covering as 
much as 16 years of follow-up data--have shown that inmates who 
participate in the Federal Prison Industries program are more likely to 
be employed and less likely to commit crimes than those who do not take 
part. And corrections officials tell us that Federal Prison Industries 
are critical to their maintaining safety and security in the prisons by 
giving inmates something productive to do with their time. Crime 
victims and the inmates' dependents benefit, as well. Last year alone, 
inmate workers paid more than $3 million from their wages in the form 
of restitution to victims and support payments to dependents.
  Inserting provisions in a 3,000-plus page bill with no opportunity to 
know about them or review them prior to voting on them, not only 
violates House rules against legislating on an appropriations measure, 
but violates principles of transparency and regular order in 
legislating, as well.

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