Sam Gibbons: “yesterday's edition of the Las Vegas Sun contained a story detailing disturbing increases in gang violence and gang…”

“yesterday's edition of the Las Vegas Sun contained a story detailing disturbing increases in gang violence and gang membership in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Although gang violence is not unique to Las Vegas, violent crime is a problem that plagues most communities across this Nation. As we continue to debate the appropriations bill for the Commerce, State, and Justice Departments, my hope is that we can all unite together to pass legislation that will improve the Federal response to combating violence in America. It is obvious to most Americans that putting more police on the street is just a beginning. We must encourage all segments of society to work together in implementing effective crime fighting strategies. Additionally, we need to remove the bureaucratic red tape which discourages local law enforcement agencies from seeking Federal funding for their crime fighting programs. I look forward to supporting an appropriations plan which will give State and local governments more control over how to best combat crime in their individual communities. We can win the battle against crime but we need to provide our communities with the power to fight crime.”