Orrin Hatch: “Mr. President I rise again today to urge President Clinton not to veto the Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill…”

“Mr. President I rise again today to urge President Clinton not to veto the Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill that the Senate passed yesterday. President Clinton has threatened a veto because we did not include his so-called Latino fairness act. But have included something much better--the Legal Immigration Family Equity Act, the LIFE Act. This act reunites families and restores due process to those who have played by the rules. Our proposal does not pit one nationality against another, nor does it pit one race against another. Our legislation provides relief to immigrants from all countries. A veto of CJS would be a blow against immigrant fairness. But a veto would do far more than that. A veto would cut off funding for some of our most important programs. CJS appropriations allocates: $4.8 billion for the INS and an additional $15.7 million for Border Patrol equipment upgrades, $3.3 billion for the FBI, and $221 million for training, equipment, and research and development programs to combat domestic terrorism, $4.3 billion for the federal prison system; $1.3 billion for the Drug Enforcement Administration; and $288 million for the Violence Against Women Act program--legislation that I have strongly supported and that provides assistance to battered women and children. Actions have consequences. If President Clinton vetoes this bill, he's putting the public's safety and well-being at risk both at home and abroad.”