Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Omnibus Crime Control Act of 1994. This is a bill that has been a long time in the making. And it is a bill that helps answer the fears and concerns of people all over this country--fears that crime is out of control and that our communities are no longer our own. In my district, I hear those fears expressed every day and I see the harsh reality behind them. I talk to students--one of whom told her teacher she could not take a test. Why? Because that morning on the way to school she had seen someone shot in the head. Another student in my district was recently shot and wounded and a third was arrested for a shooting that took place at a mall in my hometown. Parents, seniors, children--they have all come to me worried about the safety of those they love and are asking us to take action. And that is what this bill will do. Compared with the previous crime-related measures that Congress has considered, this crime bill distinguishes itself in several ways: It represents the largest commitment the Federal Government has ever pledged to the crime problem; it addresses the needs of victims; and it strikes an appropriate balance between punishment and prevention.”