FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AG THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1995 (202) 616-2777 TDD (202) 514-1888 ATTORNEY GENERAL RENO ATTACKS HOUSE CRIME BILL AND BORDER CONTROL CUTS "A Big Step Backward in Fighting Crime and Securing Our Borders" WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Attorney General Janet Reno released the following statement today following passage of the House Budget Resolution: "Today's budget action in the House of Representatives would be a big step backward in fighting crime. It would break the promise Congress made last year and slash the Crime Control Trust Fund by almost $5 billion over 5 years and $9 billion over 7 years. "It would mean fewer cops on our streets, fewer prison cells built, less assistance to states struggling to incarcerate criminal aliens, and less funding to fight violence against women. "The House budget would also jeopardize this Administration's efforts to secure our borders and would prevent the hiring of additional Border Patrol agents by cutting $497 million from the President's request for INS for FY 1996. "This Administration is strongly committed to reducing the deficit. But we are equally committed to fighting crime, and today's action moves us away from that goal. "Cutting the Trust Fund to reduce the deficit is unecessary, since it is paid for by ongoing cuts in the size of the federal government, and new taxes or spending cuts are not needed to fund it." ### 95-277