Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE APPROPRIATIONS AUTHORIZATION ACT -- (House of Representatives - September 28, 2005)

(Ms. LINDA T. SÁNCHEZ of California asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. LINDA T. SÁNCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, today the House will vote on H.R. 3402, the Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act.

I rise today to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) for their leadership on this bill and to urge my colleagues to support it.

H.R. 3402 contains language from my bill, H.R. 283, the Bullying and Gang Prevention For School Safety and Crime Reduction Act of 2005. By adding this important provision, schools will be able to use Federal dollars to establish gang and bullying prevention programs in their schools and to teach kids not to use e-mail, instant messaging, or cell phones to make threats and insults, a disturbing new behavior known as ``cyberbullying.''

Studies show that 31 percent of junior high and high school students in urban areas and 21 percent of all students reported that street gangs were present at their schools and more than 3.2 million children are the victims of repeated bullying every year. That is one in every six students.

Bullying and gangs can be eliminated from our schools and H.R. 3402 is a tremendous step in the right direction. I urge all of my colleagues to vote for the bill.

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