William R. Richardson: “Mr. Chairman, all across the Nation, each and every American has been telling their Representative to be strong and to…”

“Mr. Chairman, all across the Nation, each and every American has been telling their Representative to be strong and to make their schools, neighborhoods, and homes safe again. Mr. Chairman, the time has now come. Today, we are prepared to pass a crime bill that represents the largest commitment to stopping crime that the House has ever considered. This is the first serious effort this Congress has undertaken to deal with the crime problem in the past 10 years. A good crime bill needs provisions that effectively reform the current system. Mr. Chairman, the bill today contains these provisions, and that is why it is an effective bill. This crime bill, for example, includes provisions which reform the laws regarding parole and mandatory minimum sentences to ensure that our sentencing system is reformed. President Clinton has called upon Congress to vote for a crime package that is strong, smart and tough. A package that will punish offenders, yet will also promote measures to prevent crime. I am proud to stand here today to speak in favor of a crime bill that does just that--it punishes criminals and offers good prevention measures.”