Orrin Hatch: “I appreciate the manager of the bill accepting the amendment I filed to the Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill…”

“I appreciate the manager of the bill accepting the amendment I filed to the Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill, S. 2660, which directs the Attorney General to identify two major metropolitan areas besieged by gun-related crime and to initiate vigorous federal gun prosecution projects in those districts. The amendment directs $3,000,000 in funding for hiring additional prosecutors and investigators to ensure that criminals bearing guns are not released due to a lack of prosecutorial resources. The inspiration for this amendment is ``Project Exile,'' an extraordinarily successful effort by the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia to rid Richmond of armed criminals by ``exiling'' all those who use firearms to commit a crime to federal prison, regardless of the number of weapons or quantities of drugs seized. ``Project Exile'' also made use of the media to deliver its message that ``An illegal gun will get you five years in federal prison.'' That message was plastered on billboards, a city bus, TV commercials, and business cards distributed by local police. The results of ``Project Exile'' speak for themselves. In just one year, over 300 individuals were indicated under Project Exile and 363 guns were seized. More than 191 armed criminals were removed from Richmond's streets, including the members of a violent gang responsible for a number of murders.”