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“DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, AND JUDICIARY, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1675 on Sept. 9, 1998.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, AND JUDICIARY, AND RELATED
AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999
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speech of
HON. ESTEBAN EDWARD TORRES
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, August 4, 1998
The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4276) making appropriations for the Department of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999, and for other purposes.
Mr. TORRES. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment by Congresswoman Jackson-Lee to increase funding for the Community Relations Service (CRS).
At a time when our nation continues to see the damaging effects of racial tensions, gang violence and hate crimes, the demand for skilled professionals trained in conflict mediation has reached a new height. We must acknowledge the services this division of the Department of Justice has brought to mayors, chiefs of police, school superintendents and concerned citizens of the community. In my home City of Los Angeles, the Community Relations Service played a vital role in resolving the week-long turmoil of the LA riots in the Spring of 1992. The recent events in Jasper, Texas proved another opportunity to employ these trained professionals to resolve conflict and prevent further tensions from rising. Without their interventions, the unresolved tensions of these conflicts will fester and could continue indefinitely, breeding further hate and violence.
I believe all of my colleagues here can agree that our efforts to alleviate violence in schools and communities is not something we should choose to ignore. This is not an example of a duplicated Federally funded program. This is the only Federal agency working to provide this type of assistance in times of need and attempt to prevent further outbreaks of violence and hate crimes. The demand for these services is growing and the Community Relations Service has proven itself successful in what has been deemed the most efficient and desirable approach to conflict resolution. Yet, at the current funding level CRS is unable to meet the demand for such services. Last year, the CRS was forced to decline 40 percent of all the requests for assistance that they received.
We hear members on the other side of the aisle speaking of a more efficient government. The CRS is an example of not only an efficient agency, but one that is cost effective. We can choose to help resolve conflict or we can pay the price of the crimes and convictions that will inevitably follow. I say we must meet the need for this demand and fully fund the CRS.
Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Jackson-
Lee amendment.
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