Charles E. Schumer: “Mr. Chairman, despite my great respect for the gentleman from New Mexico [Mr. Schiff], I must strongly disagree with his…”

“Mr. Chairman, despite my great respect for the gentleman from New Mexico [Mr. Schiff], I must strongly disagree with his amendment. No State in the country has enough prison resources to deal with all of those who commit crime. We know that. It is simply demagogic to wish that they can, so to say that the States should not come up with a plan so that the most violent people get the most prison time and down the list is silly. Every State should plan. This is not saying anyone has to be released. This is not saying that anyone should not get prison time. It is saying to every State system, ``Think about where you are going to put your scarce resources. Do not ever come up with the situation where someone who has a small amount to marijuana serves 5 years, and someone who has hit a little old lady over the head three times serves 1 year,'' which happens in State after State after State. Talk to the Governors, talk to the corrections officers, talk to the penal experts. Every one of them would support that. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment and support the committee bill.”