John Cornyn: “Examples from my home State of Texas clearly demonstrate that Project Safe Neighborhoods is working. Consider: The…”

“Examples from my home State of Texas clearly demonstrate that Project Safe Neighborhoods is working. Consider: The Northern District of Texas has shown a 31 percent increase in the number of Federal gun cases opened in 2004 over 2003. The Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force continues to work harmoniously and effectively in contributing to the reduction of gun-related crimes citywide and in the targeted neighborhoods. PSN prosecutions in the Northern District of Texas have targeted some of the worst gun offenders, and have resulted in safer neighborhoods within the district. For example, in August 2002, the Dallas Division coordinated a long-term gang investigation under the PSN Program with the ATF and the Dallas Police Department. The investigation resulted in two separate indictments charging 18 gang members with being involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy, crack cocaine, along with other street gang members. And the efforts of the Western District of Texas to energize Project Safe Neighborhoods through effective partnering with State and local law enforcement are demonstrated most clearly by their impressive prosecution statistics. They have seen a 74 percent increase in prosecutions from fiscal year 2000 to fiscal year 2004, and a 13 percent increase in the past fiscal year. That is why I am so concerned that there was no funding included in this appropriations bill.…”