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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release April 14, 2000

          Statement by the Vice President on the Violent Crime
                      Reduction Trust Fund (VCRTF)

Since President Clinton and I took office in 1993, we have made unprecedented progress in fighting crime. We have almost doubled law enforcement spending, increased state and local crime-fighting assistance over three hundred percent and funded over 100,000 community police officers across the nation. As a result of this investment and our partnership with state and local law enforcement, we have brought crime down for over seven straight years, the longest decline on record. Violent crime is down and the homicide rate is at its lowest point in 31 years.

Today, I am pleased to announce the Administration's support for Senator Biden's proposal to extend the Violent Crime Reduction Trust Fund (VCRTF) for five more years. Since our Administration first enacted the VCRTF as part of the historic 1994 Crime Act, I have been committed to ensuring that communities have the resources they need to combat and prevent crime, with more funding for police, prosecutors, and programs to combat violence against women. Senator Biden's proposal underscores the importance of the role I place on law enforcement in ensuring the safety of our citizens. Extension of this vital fund will ensure that communities across the nation have the resources they need to continue fighting crime into the 21st Century.

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