Bernie Sanders Said Country Needed More Jails and ‘Tougher’ Penalties in Certain Cases in 1994 Remarks Backing Crime Bill
EXCERPT:
SANDERS: “The crime bill that I voted for on Thursday and which failed by 15 votes is not a perfect bill. However, in my view, there is much in this bill of major importance and value to the citizens of Vermont and to the citizens of America and I believe that it is a bill that is worth supporting. I voted for the bill on Thursday, and barring major changes in it, I intend to vote for it when it comes up this week. I'm going to vote for it again. Any time one addresses a major issue like crime and when one talks about an appropriation of $30 billion, which is a lot of money, it is easy to poke holes in that bill and it is easy to tell us that the legislation is not perfect. Well, I agree. This legislation is not perfect, let's be clear about it. But at a time when the citizens of this country are crying out for the government to begin addressing the crisis of crime, there is no question in my mind that this bill, in a dozen different ways, is a major step forward in controlling and preventing crime. It is a bill that should be supported."
