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badly wrong in Washington. And we are going Thank you very much. today, starting now, to the National Association of Police Officers conference to carry this battle NOTE: The President spoke at 8:12 a.m. on the back. We are going to fight and fight and fight South Lawn at the White House, prior to his de- until we win this battle for the American people. parture for Minneapolis, MN.

Remarks to the National Association of Police Organizations in Minneapolis, August 12, 1994

Thank you. Thank you very much, Sergeant crime is their first concern and pleaded with Ganley, for your introduction and for your life us to do something about it. of commitment. I’m glad to be here again with The people of Minneapolis know that taking Mayor Sayles Belton and Mayor Coleman in the easy way out is no longer an option. Two the Twin Cities area. I want to thank Senator years ago next month, Officer Jerry Haaf was Wellstone and Congressman Vento for flying shot in the back in a restaurant by gang mem- home with me. And I want to thank Congress- bers. Today his wife, Marilyn, their two children, man Vento along with , , and their two grandchildren and one son-in-law Martin Sabo, , and came to be with me and to meet with me. for voting for safer streets and a brighter future I’d like to ask them to stand up and be recog- last night in the House. I want nized. [Applause] Their husband, father, grand- to thank Tom Scotto and my longtime friend father gave everything he had to the Min- Bob Scully and the other members of NAPO, neapolis police force for 30 years, and he and Dennis Flaherty and others, for their support his family deserve better than what they got for all the elements of this crime bill. And I’d from the House of Representatives last night. like to thank especially the two mayors who You know, we had a wonderful visit in there. flew here with me today, one a Republican, It never occurred to me or to Mayor Giuliani one a Democrat, both former prosecutors, peo- or to Mayor Rendell or to Congressman Vento or Senator Wellstone, who were in there visiting ple who believe in the promise of our country with his family, to ask them whether they were and our future and understand that unless we Republicans or Democrats or independents. I do something about crime we’re never going don’t have a clue. And I don’t care. They’re to fulfill it. Ed Rendell and Rudolph Giuliani entitled to better than they got from the House represent what this country ought to be about, of Representatives last night. people belonging to the political party of their Every day, the police of this country, includ- choice but when the time comes putting party ing those in this wonderful national organization aside and putting people first. And I thank who are convening here, put on uniforms and them, and I wish we had more like them, in badges and walk on streets, into problems, risk- the . ing their lives to serve people they’re sworn Now folks, you all know what happened last to protect. They don’t run from their respon- night. The House of Representatives tried to sibilities. They don’t hide behind tricks. And take the easy way out, tried to walk away from they don’t walk away from their folks. If they the crime bill. Because of organized, intense, did, think what would happen to the United and highly political pressure, a majority walked States. away, away from the police patrolling our That’s why the walk-away last night in Con- streets, away from the children and the senior gress is so disturbing. The first responsibility citizens afraid to walk on those streets, away of government is law and order. Without that, from all the hard-working middle class Ameri- freedom can never really be fully alive. Without cans who were not organized into any group that, people can never really fully pursue the but who have told us over and over again that American dream.

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The police here know that. That’s what their it is that it rejects all those false choices that lives are all about. Most ordinary Americans, the politics of the past always tries to impose without regard to their party, know that, deep on ordinary people in our complicated lives. It down in their bones. Last night we had a vote says, no more false choices; let’s do what com- on democracy’s most fundamental responsibility, mon sense dictates. And the reason it does is and law and order lost, 210 to 225. that this bill was largely the handiwork of people Two hundred and twenty-five Members of the in law enforcement. We never had a bill before Congress participated in a procedural trick or- that was endorsed by every major law enforce- chestrated by the National Rifle Association and ment group in the entire United States. So it intensely promoted by the Republican congres- puts 100,000 police on the street. It says ‘‘three sional leadership, a trick designed with one thing strikes and you’re out’’ is the law of the land in mind, to put the protection of partisan and and makes available more funds for prisons to special interests over the protection of ordinary house serious offenders. It bans handgun owner- Americans and still leave what Mr. Scotto called ship for juveniles and bans assault weapons that the Jackie Mason trick: ‘‘Well, I would have gangs and thugs use to outgun the police. But voted for it if only it had been there for me it also protects 650 specifically named hunting to vote on.’’ and sporting weapons, something the American It’s the same old Washington game: Just stick people too often are not told. It imposes tougher it to ordinary Americans, because special inter- penalties for violent crimes, all right. There is ests can keep you in Congress forever and spe- a death penalty for killing an officer of the law cial interests can beat you because they’re orga- in the line of duty. But it also has the prevention nized and they have money and they can con- funds in there. You heard these people in law fuse God-fearing, hard-working, ordinary Ameri- enforcement talking about it. cans. It makes my blood boil when I hear people Well, goodness knows, I’ve seen a lot of that talking about pork. Because you see, I have seen in my time, as your President and even before. the eyes of schoolchildren after the D.A.R.E. But the time has come for those of you to officer has talked to them. I remember when say that the only way for Congress to make the D.A.R.E. program came into my child’s ele- their seats safe is to make the rest of America mentary school and how it affected the way safer. she looked at the whole issue of drugs and her When I ran for this office and when I went personal responsibility and how it affected all to Washington, I had dreams that many said those kids who never had a daddy at home were naive. I really dreamed that we could gov- to say, ‘‘This is right’’ or ‘‘This is wrong,’’ who ern in Washington the way most mayors and didn’t have a job in the home to say, ‘‘This Governors do, that somehow we would be able is the future you can have.’’ to go beyond the labels that colored our view Who are we trying to kid with all of this of the past, beyond Republican and Democrat rhetoric? Talk to people like us, who have been and liberal and conservative and whether you to the funerals of police officers gunned down were for punishment or prevention in this case. in the line of duty, and I dare you to find Those old left-right deals, they make great one person who knows anything about this who’s headlines, but they often don’t do anything to not for tougher punishment and more preven- solve people’s problems. They’re great in 30- tion. second ads, throwing those rhetorical bombs Just imagine what would be happening in over the wall at your opponent, but they don’t America today if Congress had yesterday voted keep any kids alive or help any families to get to take 100,000 police officers off of the street, through the day. And we’re in a whole new to put 19 more kinds of assault weapons on era in which everything in the world is changing, the street, to get rid of prison space for 100,000 and we cannot afford to be bound by the cat- criminals. Well, that’s what they did: no to egories of the past. 100,000 police, no to the juvenile ownership of The thing I like so much about this crime handguns ban, no to the assault weapons ban, bill—Mayor Giuliani’s right, if he sat down alone no to ‘‘three strikes and you’re out,’’ no to the and wrote it, it wouldn’t be just like it is. If prisons, no to the prevention. I sat down alone and wrote it, it wouldn’t be You know, this is the kind of political mess just like it is. But the thing that’s so good about Congress has been caught in over this crime

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bill for 6 years, before I ever showed up, under last night because they put the safety of the two previous Presidents, just politics. Everybody people of this country first. talked about crime; nothing ever got done for We need more Democrats, and we need more 6 years. The average violent criminal only stays Republicans to follow the lead of those 11 brave in prison 4 years. We let a whole generation Republicans and the Democrats who put aside go by with nothing getting done. their differences with certain specific provisions Now, last night, we gave the Congress a to put the American people first. That is what chance, a chance to put people ahead of politics, we must have, more people like that, people to go with police and punishment and preven- who believe in you and your future and will tion. And until last night, I really thought they not take the easy way out. The walk-away crowd would. Until last night, this crime bill was a has got to change. bipartisan effort to the core. You know that we didn’t get you a crime The first time the bill came up in the House bill yesterday. But we’re going to get you a of Representatives, the assault weapons ban crime bill. We are going to get you a crime wasn’t in it, but there was even more prevention bill. money in it, and 65 Republicans voted for the To all the police officers in this country who crime bill last April with the prevention money walk out there for us every day, Washington they now attack in the bill. cannot walk away from you. And all the ordinary In May, 38 Republicans voted for the assault Americans who are just out there watching this weapons ban with the 650 hunting and sporting unfold, hearing all the rhetorical wars back and weapons protected. But when the crime bill forth, who know there’s no ‘‘American associa- came back to the House, it had even more po- tion for ordinary citizens’’ up there walking the lice, more prisons, tougher penalties, and the halls of Congress, we’re not going to walk away assault weapons ban they had already adopted. from you either. Then, instead of 65 Republicans or even 38, Yes, it was a defeat yesterday, and I felt ter- only 11 brave Republicans, including Jim rible about it. But this morning I woke up feel- Ramstad from Minnesota, stood up and did the ing good because that’s a vote I’d much rather right thing. The rest, including 19 Republicans be on the losing side of than the winning side. who voted for everything in this bill and more I am glad I will never have to explain to my than 50 who voted for the prevention programs wife, my daughter, my grandchildren, and the they now attack, walked away and turned it into people who sent me to Washington why I did a partisan issue. something like what was done to the American Yes, they were joined in voting no by some people yesterday. Let us turn it around and Democrats, a handful of whom were, on put the people of this country first. grounds of conscience, opposed to the death Thank you, and God bless you all. penalty, most of whom came from places like my home. They come from smalltown, rural NOTE: The President spoke at approximately 1:30 America where hunting is important, where the p.m. at the Marriott City Center. In his remarks, crime rates tend to be lower, where the NRA he referred to Sgt. Mick Ganley, president, and is very successful at scaring people with misin- Dennis Flaherty, executive director, Minnesota formation. Police and Peace Officers Association; Mayor But you know something, there were a lot Sharon Sayles Belton of Minneapolis, MN; Mayor of Democrats who voted against the assault of St. Paul, MN; Tom Scotto, weapons ban who came back and voted for the president, and Robert T. Scully, executive direc- crime bill last night. There were some Demo- tor, National Association of Police Organizations; crats who were deeply opposed to capital pun- Mayor Edward Rendell of Philadelphia; and ishment, and they still voted for the crime bill Mayor Rudolph Giuliani of New York.

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