Frank Riggs: “I just want to emphasize once again, that our bill, H.R. 728, does not, I repeat, does not strip funding already awarded…”

“I just want to emphasize once again, that our bill, H.R. 728, does not, I repeat, does not strip funding already awarded under last year's cops on the beat program. These local communities will continue to receive every cent already granted to them, including payments for years 2 and 3. That defeats the argument made a few moments ago by the gentleman from California that somehow our bill might jeopardize funds going to hire additional police officers. That is not the case at all. If the local elected decisionmakers in those communities deem it worthwhile to hire additional police officers, they will have maximum authority and latitude to do so under our bill. It is hard to understand that convoluted logic coming from the other side of the aisle during this debate. Here we have Members of the minority suggesting that the Federal Government, the model of fiscal propriety for the rest of the country can best determine how to spend these monies and in fact ought to dictate to State and local officials how these monies be spent. Well, far be it from me and my colleagues on this side of the aisle to impugn the motives of State and local officials. We truly believe they are closer to the crime problems in their communities and far better able to determine the proper community-wide or State wide response to those crime problems.”