Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today marks the beginning of the 31st annual National Crime Victims' Rights Week. It is a time to recognize the losses faced by victims of crimes and their families and to acknowledge the efforts being made to help them recover and rebuild their lives in the wake of tragedy. It is a time to reflect on all we have accomplished and focus on what we have to yet do to help victims. Of course, one of the best tools for delivering that help is the Crime Victims Fund. Unfortunately, in recent months, some have sought to violate the Victims of Crime Act. They want to take money out of the trust fund for purposes and programs not authorized by the Victims of Crime Act. I have worked with Senators from both sides of the aisle. We have been able to stop this raid on crime victims' funding. I wish to commend Senators Mikulski and Hutchison, the chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science of the Committee on Appropriations for their important efforts in this regard in the appropriations bill we reported to the Senate last week. The Senate Appropriations Committee, on which I serve, has reported a bill that preserves the Crime Victims Fund, and we succeeded in increasing the funding next year for victims' compensation and assistance to $775 million.…”