Children's Safety and VIolent Crime Reduction Act

CHILDREN'S SAFETY AND VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION ACT -- (Extensions of Remarks - March 14, 2006)

SPEECH OF
HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY
OF ILLINOIS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, 2006

* Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 4472, the Chidren's Safety and Violent Crime Reduction Act. By bringing to the floor bills that already passed the House but with a few key provisions stripped, the House leadership is using procedural maneuvers to thwart the bill supported by a bipartisan majority of House members and by a significant majority of Americans. I am particularly outraged that the leadership jettisoned the hate crimes provisions from H.R. 3132, which passed by a strong bipartisan vote of 223 to 199 last September.

* While all of us want to protect our children, we cannot fully reduce crime and protect child safety without acknowledging the terrorizing impact that hate-motivated violence has in our society. I have serious concerns with several provisions included in H.R. 4472, most notably the provisions that would impose harsh, new mandatory minimums, expand the number of federal crimes that carry the death penalty, and subject children to adult trials and adult sentences. However, I have more concerns about what is not in the bill. Last September, the House voted to protect children from sexual predators and from the perpetrators of hate-crimes. This bill retreats from that position and will leave our children vulnerable to violence on the basis of their sexual orientation, disability, gender, ethnicity, race or religion. Our children deserve better from us.

* I urge my colleagues to reject H.R. 4472 and enact long overdue hate crimes legislation that will send a clear message that hate violence has no place in America.

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