Louise Slaughter: “how many more headlines like these do we have to read, and how many more times do we have to hear abut a sexual predator…”

“how many more headlines like these do we have to read, and how many more times do we have to hear abut a sexual predator who was released from jail and then terrorized new victims? Just yesterday, the New York Times and the New York Post reported another instance of where a paroled rapist returned to his former tactics. According to the reports, the New York police had just arrested Johnny Rosado for 8 rapes in 1 month. He had been out of jail for a year. All that time he was visiting his parole officer and attending required rape counseling sessions. But the parole officer and the counseling provided no protection for 8 victims, women between the ages of 16 and 28. What is worse, Mr. Speaker, is the parole officers in the State of New York did not want to let Johnny Rosado go free at all. He was denied parole four times before being released on good behavior because there were no women or children to rape in prison. The State parole board told reporters, ``Under our law, he was held as long as he could be. There was nothing we could do.'' If that is the best we can do, Mr. Speaker, we need a new law. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment to H.R. 667 later today so that States will not allow second-time sex offenders to go free to pounce again.”