Sean Patrick Maloney: “for those of my colleagues who may have missed it, New York City is experiencing the steepest decline in violent crime…”

“for those of my colleagues who may have missed it, New York City is experiencing the steepest decline in violent crime since 1972. No one thought we could do it, but we did. With the help of the President's COPS Program, we have added well over 2,000 new police officers to the New York City Police Department. Those police are dedicated to new policing strategies; targeting hot spots, walking neighborhood beats, working with the community to prevent crime. That is what community policing is all about. Mr. Speaker, this trend is not just confined to New York City. Other cities, like Houston and San Diego, are experiencing a similar decline. It makes no sense to eliminate a successful program such as this, as this bill does. This is not a debate about balancing the budget, a goal many of us support, this is about the priorities of our country. To me and my constituents, ridding our streets of crime is a priority worth fighting for. Sustain safe communities. Sustain the President's veto.”