[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 17454-17455]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ACT OF 2003

  Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the need for 
hate crimes legislation. On May 1, 2003, Senator Kennedy and I 
introduced the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act, a bill that would 
add new categories to current hate crimes law, sending a signal that 
violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society.
  Scotty Joe Weaver, an 18-year-old gay Alabama man was beaten, 
stabbed, and his body burned in woods near his mobile home on July 18, 
2004. Robert Porter, 18, Christopher Ryan Gaines, 20, and Gaines' 
girlfriend, Nichole Kelsay have been charged with the July 18 killing, 
which police believe was motivated by hate.
  I believe that the Government's first duty is to defend its citizens, 
to defend them against the harms that come out of hate. The Local Law 
Enforcement Enhancement Act is a symbol that can become substance. I 
believe that by passing this legislation and changing current law, we 
can change hearts and minds as well.
  Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleagues 
in support of this request for additional disaster assistance in the 
wake of Hurricanes Charley and Frances, and the devastation they have 
brought on the State of Florida. I, along with my Nebraska 
constituents, send our thoughts and prayers to those in Florida dealing 
with the physical and emotional impact of these hurricanes.
  In Nebraska, we sympathize with the victims of natural disasters, 
whether they be caused by hurricanes, floods, or tornadoes. Presently, 
my State is facing its fifth straight year of record drought, which as 
you know has a damaging effect on the agricultural industry, as well 
the mainstreet of every Nebraska community. Multiple years of drought 
have cost our Nation billions of dollars in economic losses and has 
many farmers wondering whether they will be able to carry on. They are 
not in this position because of poor planning or some unfortunate 
weather incident but rather as the result of a continuous natural 
disaster that once again has turned upside down the hopes and work that 
went into planting this spring.
  This drought is a disaster--it is been a disaster for agriculture and 
a disaster for rural communities, which depend so much on agriculture. 
I think that going home over the August recess certainly gave all of us 
from States hit by drought even more reason to seek assistance. I do 
not want to detract from the importance of sending disaster assistance 
to those in Florida. However, I believe that my colleagues must join me 
in casting a greater spotlight on the importance of helping our 
Nation's farmers and ranchers recover from the impacts of the current 
drought.
  Therefore, I would like to join the Senator from South Dakota in 
calling on the President and the Congress to support funding for 
drought aid for our farmers and ranchers, and to fully fund the crop 
and livestock disaster programs so critical to Nebraska's farmers and 
ranchers.
  A drought relief package is of the utmost importance to farmers and 
ranchers in Nebraska and across all those

[[Page 17455]]

rural America parts suffering from this natural disaster. It will make 
the difference between keeping their farms or being forced out of 
agriculture--to the detriment of all of us who depend on the 
``breadbasket of the world.'' We must seek this assistance in order to 
ensure that our rural communities are not allowed to wither under the 
worst conditions in over half of a century.
  I hope my Senate colleagues will join me in supporting drought 
assistance this year. Like any other natural disaster, this drought has 
hurt the very livelihoods of good, hardworking people who struggle 
every day to stay afloat even under normal conditions. It is imperative 
that we respond to this crisis in rural America.
  I thank my colleagues for this opportunity to address an issue of 
great importance to my State.

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