Jim Sensenbrenner: “this motion is offered by a Member who stated to the Speaker that he is opposed to this bill. He is opposed to providing…”

“this motion is offered by a Member who stated to the Speaker that he is opposed to this bill. He is opposed to providing additional security to judges, to prosecutors, to witnesses, to victims and their family members. He is opposed to a bill that has been worked on significantly on a bipartisan basis. And he has stated that he is opposed to doing something where there is a crying need, given the threats and the murders in courthouses all around the country, and not just Federal courthouses but State and local courthouses as well. Now, what does he propose to do in the motion to recommit? He proposes to add additional criminal penalties for things that are already criminal. And all that does is to confuse juries, to confuse prosecutors, to confuse people who are attempting to do business with the government. Profiteering in an illegal manner is already criminal under the United States Code. We do not need to confuse the issue with an additional statutes. And we do not need to defeat this bill by this motion that has been offered by several proclaimed opponents of this bill. {time} 1800 The bill is a good one. In order to get it passed and signed into law to protect the judicial branch and those who do business and work for it, vote this silly motion down and pass the bill as has been worked out on a bipartisan basis.”