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Okay everyone, I meant to start this a few weeks ago, but then well life got in the way. So without further ado, here is the promised thread on the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Protection Act, or more colloquially known as the 1994 Crime Bill.
This will be a running thread throughout the day after I post the first two, so if you see something that doesn't seem like it's completely fleshed out, either wait a bit, or ask me and I'll add it.
Disclaimer: I ONLY use first party sources in my links. You won't find a flowery endorsement from your favorite op-ed writer, or a pundit postulating about how it 'made' people feel. That's subjective. And frankly, you can find those anywhere.
I instead will be looking at this bill as it made it's way through Congress to become law. I'll be focusing on what it did, and equally importantly, what it allowed for states to do. Or not to do as the case may be.
First interesting point: Biden did not WRITE the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act (known hereafter as the VCCLEA), at least - not at first. The first version originated in the house in 1993 and was HR 3355 and was written by a Democrat from Texas named Jack Brooks.
Here's the link to the initial version: https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-bill/3355/summary/00
I've highlighted things that I think are relevant or intriguing in the summary.
I've highlighted things that I think are relevant or intriguing in the summary.
First point: it's a rewrite to the 1968 Safe Streets Act ? What is this bill? Well let's look at it for a moment.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/90/hr5037
*disclaimer* The original bill is not presently available on http://Congress.gov due to it's age.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/90/hr5037
*disclaimer* The original bill is not presently available on http://Congress.gov due to it's age.
The bill established the LEAA which is the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration. What is that? It's a program that lets the federal government grant funds to state and local governments. A report by the GAO from 1977 showing it's initial effect. https://www.gao.gov/assets/80/79046.pdf
I won't discuss this in this thread, this is just for historical reference so if you're reading this and you're curious, you can look into it. But I'm a huge proponent of needing to understand the past so you can understand why choices are made in the present.
*disclaimer* In the interest of you NOT having to click through a thousand links, I'll be switching to http://govtrack.us for my bill links from here forward, since it more accurately details committee assignments and allows for better tracking of bill history.
Interestingly , this wasn't Jack Brooks first attempt at the bill. It was first introduced as HR 3131, and that version did not pass. I've included the link for historical research purposes. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/103/hr3131
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/103/hr3355
This is the govtrack version of the same bill. It had 2 Democrat Cosponsors in the house, Chuck Schumer and William Hughes. It was the first of 5 related bills and resolutions, but we'll get to those later.
This is the govtrack version of the same bill. It had 2 Democrat Cosponsors in the house, Chuck Schumer and William Hughes. It was the first of 5 related bills and resolutions, but we'll get to those later.
So what was the impetus of this bill?
Well, there were nationwide gang wars brought about by the increased drug trafficking in the late 80s and early 90s, as evidenced by Dr. Spergel, who is a professor of Social Science at UOC and leader of many gang intervention programs.
Well, there were nationwide gang wars brought about by the increased drug trafficking in the late 80s and early 90s, as evidenced by Dr. Spergel, who is a professor of Social Science at UOC and leader of many gang intervention programs.
I've included the abstract here for you to review. I will use my JSTOR access later to determine whether or not I can download a copy of the entire paper, or at least cite some of the interesting and relevant points.
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/449166
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/449166
Also, another problem was that law enforcement agencies were (and still are) autonomous, and they are even more territorial than the gangs they were facing. They refused to share information, and often either inadvertently or directly impeded each other's investigations.
This came to a head in the horrific debacle that was the 1992 siege on Waco, where Texas Law enforcement and the FBI were supposed to work together with the ATF, and instead ended with the deaths of the Branch Davidians. https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/106th-congress/house-report/1037/1
Again, the Waco report is there simply for your edification. I didn't include the Scuggs report, but it is referenced in the report.
Now that we've covered the history and reason , let's get to the bill itself.
First the bill was reported to the judiciary committee. The changes made by the committee were largely insubstantial, with perhaps the exception of this on page 13 of the bill, lines 17-19.
First the bill was reported to the judiciary committee. The changes made by the committee were largely insubstantial, with perhaps the exception of this on page 13 of the bill, lines 17-19.
Interesting, the only major change I saw was the committee requiring a geographic dispersion, racial, ethnic, and gender diversity of rehired employees to be eligible for grants.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/103/hr3355/text/ih#compare=eh
It passed 235-195 in the House and was sent to the Senate.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/103/hr3355/text/ih#compare=eh
It passed 235-195 in the House and was sent to the Senate.
I would be remiss if I didn't point out that HR Sanders, the Independent from VT who claimed that he only voted on this for the VAWA that was added by the Senate, did ACTUALLY vote Aye on Brooks' original bill which didn't include that provision.
So now the bill goes to the Senate, and this is where Joe Biden, the Senator from Delaware comes into play.
On November 19, HR 3355 passed the House bill as written, it passed 95-4.
Noted Nay vote in this case? Russ Feingold from Wi. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/103-1993/s384
On November 19, HR 3355 passed the House bill as written, it passed 95-4.
Noted Nay vote in this case? Russ Feingold from Wi. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/103-1993/s384
Now almost at the same time, but after Brooks bill, on Nov 1, 1993 - Biden's version of the bill, S. 1607 is released.
Also, Biden's version of the bill? Wasn't enacted by Congress. It never made it out of committee .
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/103/s1607
Also, Biden's version of the bill? Wasn't enacted by Congress. It never made it out of committee .
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/103/s1607
S1607 has a LOT of information, so I'm going to make that a subtweet here in this original thread, and hopefully that will keep things flowing fairly smoothly throughout thread. This is a reissue of S1488 which has no consponsors, and no roll call votes.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/103/s1488/details
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/103/s1488/details
So S1607 can be broken down into the following major sections:
Public Safety, Death Penalty, Habeas Corpus Reform, Gun Crime Penalties, Obstruction of Justice, Youth Violence, Terrorism, Sexual Violence, Crime Victims, Law Enforcement, prisons, and Drug Courts, Prisons...
Public Safety, Death Penalty, Habeas Corpus Reform, Gun Crime Penalties, Obstruction of Justice, Youth Violence, Terrorism, Sexual Violence, Crime Victims, Law Enforcement, prisons, and Drug Courts, Prisons...
.. Rural Crime, Drug Control, Drunk Driving, Bail Posting Reporting, Motor Vehicle Theft, Protections for the Elderly, Consumer Protection, Financial Fraud, Sentencing provisions, Computer Crime, International Parental Kidnapping, and Safe Schools.
