Political Quotes

“I want to commend President Clinton and congressional leaders on both sides for bringing before the Senate a balanced budget. I also believe that this budget goes a long way toward protecting the key priorities I believe must be protected. But, of all those priorities, I believe that none is more important than continuing our fight against violent crime and violence against women. To a great extent, this budget resolution meets this test--but, in at least one area of this crime front, I believe the budget resolution must be clarified. The amendment I am offering, along with Senators Byrd and Gramm does exactly that--by clarifying that it is the sense of the Senate that the violent crime control trust fund will continue through the end of this budget resolution, fiscal year 2002. I am particularly pleased that Senator Byrd--who, more than anyone, deserves credit for the crime law trust fund. Senator Byrd worked to develop an idea that was simple as it was profound--as he called on us to use the savings from the reductions in the Federal work force of 272,000 employees to fund one of the Nation's most urgent priorities: fighting the scourge of violent crime.”