Charles E. Schumer: “we are at a historic moment here today. For the first time, Congress is making crime fighting a top priority. We have a…”

“we are at a historic moment here today. For the first time, Congress is making crime fighting a top priority. We have a real consensus on both sides of the aisle that a major crime bill is necessary. Mr. Speaker, the bill is overdue. We have let crime and lawlessness fester to the point where a frustrated public is ready to endorse the brutal caning in Singapore. This bill is balanced. It has tough measures, like ``three strikes and you're out'' and money to build prisons to ensure that violent criminals are put behind bars. Mr. Speaker, it also has the most ambitious and comprehensive crime prevention programs in history. Tough sentences and prison cells are very important, but not enough. We also have to help young people at the crossroads to choose honest and productive lives rather than gangs and crime. More important, the bill will put 50,000 more police officers on the street doing community policing. Beat cops both punish and prevent. The long and short, Mr. Speaker, is we are deluged in this Nation anywhere we go with crime and the concomitant fear. We can argue the procedural points. We can debate and debate and debate. The public is saying, ``Stop all that and do something.'' This bill finally does.”