Patrick Leahy: “so far, we have had one meeting of a conference to resolve differences in the Senate and House passed juvenile justice…”

“so far, we have had one meeting of a conference to resolve differences in the Senate and House passed juvenile justice bills. I commented at that conference meeting, on August 5, 1999, about how unfortunate it was that the leadership in the Congress delayed action on the conference all summer. In fact, the conference met less than 24 hours before the Congress adjourned for its long August recess. Unfortunately, we did not conclude our work but left this conference and important work on the juvenile justice legislation to languish for the last five weeks of the summer. Due to the delays in convening this conference and then its abrupt adjournment before completing its work, we knew before our August recess that the programs to enhance school safety and protect our children and families called for in this legislation would not be in place before school began. The fact that American children are starting school without Congress finishing its work on this legislation is wrong.”