John Conyers

Mr. CONYERS

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. CONYERS. I would be delighted.

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague for yielding to me. That is exactly what police representatives, one of them from seven organizations, said yesterday: ``It is time to stop the politics and continue the program'' that they are getting. Second, the gentleman has gotten 36 policemen to date, in 4 months. Could I ask the gentleman why he would want to cut off the rest of them? Third, the Neighborhood Watch Program is included in the amendment we bring back restoring the 1994 crime bill cops on the beat program.

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield to me?

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will yield, we have nine amendments including one----

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I commend the gentlewoman from Colorado [Mrs. Schroeder] for bringing this matter to the attention of the House. I am speaking on this matter because I believe it is a civil rights matter as well. The Republican block grant sweeps the threat to doctors, clinics, nurses, and women who choose to elect their right to choice under the table. This brings it out. I am hoping that regardless of where Members fall on the question of abortion, that this protection will be specifically delineated in the crime bill that comes out of this House. I think it is time that we bring the protection of the law to all of the people. The medical profession is now being terrorized out of doing their job. There are doctors now that are afraid to work in these clinics because they know their life and their families are threatened. Let us support their civil rights and all of ours at the same time.

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, would the gentleman yield?

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. CONYERS. The gentleman has read our mind on this side because we realize the hour is growing late. I am now constrained to offer a unanimous consent request that all debate ends at about 1:55 on this amendment, because there will be at least an hour on the amendment of the gentlewoman from Colorado [Mrs. Schroeder], there are probably four to six other amendments remaining, and I think the best way we can accommodate that is to make such a restriction.

Mr. CONYERS. The reason the President has said that he is going to veto anything that disturbs his community policing program is that he made the commitment 2 years ago. He got the bill through on the bipartisan basis last year. It was enjoyed 5 months' worth of great success. We had eight police organizations that represent four-fifths, or certainly two-thirds of all the police in America all supporting strongly the program. He feels that he has no other alternative but to resist any attempts by the new majority to destroy a program that is eminently successful, as we speak here today.

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, we are prepared to have a unanimous- consent request that would incorporate en bloc all of the amendments to which there is agreement on both sides. I am going to very shortly propose, and will do so now if the gentleman will continue to yield, that all debate on this amendment, the Schumer-Conyers-Chapman ends at 1:55. We think that that will facilitate the gentleman's request. Does that accommodate the gentleman?

Mr. CONYERS. I will make a unanimous-consent request. I ask unanimous consent that at 1:55 all debate on this amendment end, and that unanimous-consent request includes that all motions to which there is agreement be offered.

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. CONYERS. I thank the gentleman for yielding. The answer is ``yes.''

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment of the gentlewoman from Colorado that will be offered directly after this one be limited to 1 hour of debate, with the time being equally divided and controlled.

Mr. CONYERS. Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. CONYERS. Yes.

Mr. CONYERS. It would do more than that. It would destroy this program. It would end the current crime bill law which is the law of the land as we speak.

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that all amendments that are agreed to by proponents and opponents be able to be offered en bloc.

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, we will do that. I withdraw that unanimous-consent request, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, this has been a long and difficult bill, due to very restrictive rules. I offer this motion to recommit that combines the provisions of the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson- Lee], which targets youth programs, assistance for delinquents at risk and urban recreation programs, as well as the provision of the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Stupak] for $400 million a year under the Byrne grant for funds for crime reduction purposes. I yield briefly to them to make their comments, but on a really personal note I want to thank my colleagues on this side who have cooperated under great duress to the Chair. I personnally apologize to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Serrano], my colleague from North Carolina [Mr. Watt], and members of the committee who I know had amendments pending: the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Waters], the gentleman from West Virginia [Mr. Wise], the gentlewoman from Oregon [Ms. Furse], who all had amendments that we were eager to have debated and under the restrictions we were not able to permit them, as well as the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Fields]. Ladies and gentlemen, this motion to recommit provides us with a great opportunity to bring the kinds of improvements to the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 1/2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee], a member of the committee. (Ms. JACKSON-LEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I yield the remainder of my time to the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Stupak].

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that we have 5 minutes each additional under this amendment on each side.