Speech #990217085

We have the obligation and we have the opportunity in this legislation today to make some choices to fund absolutely essential programs that this Member happens to think merit the priorities that perhaps others might disagree with. but I think most of this body would believe have a higher rating than some other programs. We should not begin the process of appropriations with cutting the spendIng programs that fund law enforcement In this country. that hire the U.S. attorneys that are necessary to prosecute the criminals. that pay for the salaries of those people who lock up the prisoners of this country in the jails. that fund the building of jails when we have a 50percent overcrowding already and we do not have enough space to put the people in that we do convict or. fortunately enough can. for drug trafficking and other serious crimes. We should not. in this stage of the game. go out and cut the spending for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. which cannot process the paperwork for those matters of legal immigration. let alone have enough border patrolmen to begin to get control of our illegal crossings at the border. We should not go down the line in the entire area of justice where law enforcement and immigration is concerned and make an acrosstheboard decision to cut tonight. If we are going to make acrosstheboard cuts. let us do it for every program together later on. Let us do it as we did earlier with GrammRudman. but let us not do It on this bill and pick on these programs tonight.