Political Quotes

“I rise to introduce ``The Powder Cocaine Sentencing Act of 1999.'' This legislation would toughen federal policy toward powder cocaine dealers by reducing from 500 to 50 grams the amount of powder cocaine a person must be convicted of distributing in order to receive a mandatory 5 year minimum sentence. I am convinced, Mr. President, that we need tougher sentences for powder cocaine dealers so that we may protect our kids from drugs and our neighborhoods from the violence and social breakdown that accompany drug trafficking. We have seen a disturbing trend in recent years, a reversal, really, of the decade long progress we enjoyed in the war on drugs. For example, over the last six years the percentage of high school seniors admitting that they had used an illicit drug has risen by more than half. This spells trouble for our children. Increased drug use means increased danger of every social pathology of which we know. It must stop. Ironically, at the same time that we are learning the disturbing news about overall drug use among teens, we also are finding heartening news in our war on violent crime.”