Victor Fazio: “I want to thank Chairman Brooks for allowing Members from rural areas to include in this en block amendment the…”

“I want to thank Chairman Brooks for allowing Members from rural areas to include in this en block amendment the reauthorization of the Byrne Act and language offered by the gentleman from West Virginia [Mr. Wise] and the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Stupak] and myself on behalf of rural communities that truly need to continue to have Federal assistance to fight crime and drugs. We are concerned certainly about suburban and urban problems, but this amendment which the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Brooks] has put together will give the assurance to rural communities that they are not going to be left out. Our noncontroversial, but necessary, measure will help ensure that rural communities do not lose ground as the rest of the country moves forward on new anti-crime strategies. The Fazio-Stupak amendment expresses the sense of Congress that rural areas should continue to receive the level of support that they had prior to enactment of this crime bill.”