[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9077]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        ADDRESSING GANG VIOLENCE

  (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak 
about the increasing problem of gang violence.
  Since 2001, we have seen drastic budget cuts in youth violence 
prevention. At-risk kids need support and a place to go after school. 
They need the fundamental tools to make good choices.
  Instead of funding these programs, the Congress has chosen to lock 
them up and throw away the key.
  Mr. Speaker, what kind of message is this, and the bill that we are 
going to take up this week, giving to our at-risk youth? We must 
provide at-risk youth with a path to succeed, not a path to prison.
  Our police forces are doing a very outstanding job, most especially 
in Dallas, Texas. However, prosecuting criminals is not enough. We also 
need to work on preventing future violence.
  I am a strong supporter of law enforcement, but I do believe in 
prevention. It is less costly.

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