Requesting that the President focus appropriate attention on neighborhood crime prevention and community policing, and coordinate certain Federal efforts to participate in National Night Out, which occurs the first Tuesday of August each year, including by supporting local efforts and community watch groups and by supporting local officials, to promote community safety and help provide homeland security.

Mr. Speaker I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) for sponsorship of this legislation.

On August 4, 2009, communities, businesses, local law enforcement officials and other individuals from all 50 States got together for what we call National Night Out. National Night Out, an annual event created to bring attention to the importance of community involvement in preventing crime and community awareness efforts throughout the country. It has successfully reached millions of people and thousands of communities in every State in our Nation.

Not only has the event grown in participation and size, but in production as well. The traditional ``lights on,'' in which neighborhood families coordinate in turning on their porch lights,

has grown to include block parties, neighborhood walks, police meetings, cookouts and even parades.

Mr. Speaker, this is the only time of the year that many neighbors see each other. My grandfather used to say that people quit being as neighborly when builders quit building front porches on their homes. Anyway, National Night Out gives people the chance to visit with each other and be neighborly.

House Resolution 623 calls on the administration not only to highlight and urge participation in this nationwide campaign, but also to coordinate Federal efforts in other community crime-prevention initiatives.

The resolution reminds us that crime is local. Crime affects all Americans, regardless of where they live or who they are. In my 30 years as a prosecutor and a former judge, I saw for myself the terrible toll that crime puts on neighborhoods and on families and individuals.

We all suffer. Crime, especially violent crime, is a national health concern. Volunteer organizations such as neighborhood crime watch groups have proven to be invaluable, not just in awareness and prevention, but also in their coordination with local law enforcement.

National Night Out was created in 1984 to help bring members of our communities together to fight the scourge of crime in local neighborhoods. Since then, it has been the mission of Association of Town Watch and National Night Out to send a message to criminals that neighborhoods and communities are united in their fight against criminal conduct. Through the participation in local crime fighting programs and organizations, every American can make a difference in the safety of their community. Strong communities are safer communities.

In today's world, crime and violence can be found everywhere we look. Urban communities, rural communities, parks and even our schools. And while Federal coordination with local law enforcement plays a tremendous role in curbing criminal activity, the coordination of local law enforcement officials, volunteer groups and community leaders and neighbors is, without a doubt, the most effective way of attacking crime and protecting America's families.

So I urge all my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

We have no other speakers, Mr. Speaker.

I will close by saying that this is a bipartisan piece of legislation. This body here contains many former law enforcement officers, peace officers, sheriffs, prosecutors, former judges, and victims of crime as well. Crime knows no boundaries in this country, and it affects all of us. This legislation is a stand for the volunteers who support National Night Out and the good work that they do.

I strongly urge the adoption of this resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 623) requesting that the President focus appropriate attention on neighborhood crime prevention and community policing, and coordinate certain Federal efforts to participate in National Night Out, which occurs the first Tuesday of August each year, including by supporting local efforts and community watch groups and by supporting local officials, to promote community safety and help provide homeland security.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution supports this year's National Night Out events coordinated by the National Association of Town Watch and encourages the President to focus attention on neighborhood crime prevention, community policing and Federal efforts to participate in various local events. The 26th Annual National Night Out, America's night out against crime, was held on Tuesday, August 4, 2009.

The National Night Out is designed to promote crime and drug prevention efforts, create support for local anti-crime programs and strengthen neighborhood camaraderie and police-community partnerships. Last year's National Night Out campaign involved citizens, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials from over 15,000 communities from all 50 States, as well as U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide.

In 2008, over 37 million people participated in National Night Out events. National Night Out has the support of many agencies and organizations, including the National Sheriffs Association, the United States Conference of Mayors, and the National League of Cities.

On August 4, people from communities around the country sat on their porches with their lights on to show their support for neighborhood crime prevention and drug abuse prevention efforts. Local sponsors also organized events such as block parties, cookouts, parades and visits with local law enforcement agencies, as well as rallies and marches. National Night Out events have become a very popular way to build police-community relations and to encourage people to volunteer in their communities.

For those reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the resolution introduced by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak).

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the sponsor of the resolution, a law enforcement officer himself, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlelady from Ohio, a strong supporter of law enforcement, Ms. Sutton.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for his introduction of the resolution and urge support of the resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Stupak-Reichert resolution, House Resolution 623. This resolution commemorates the 26th Annual National Night Out event, which is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch.

I would like to thank my Law Enforcement Caucus cochair, Congressman Dave Reichert, for introducing this resolution with me.

National Night Out, an annual nationwide grassroots crime prevention event, took place on Tuesday, August 4, and will actually take place in Texas on October 6, 2009. I appreciate the work of the Judiciary Committee and Chairman Conyers and Chairman Scott in placing this resolution on the House calendar.

However, I must admit I am disappointed in the partisan, obstructionist tactics that precluded the recognition of National Night Out in a timely fashion in July. I am disappointed that this truly bipartisan resolution, that has been introduced year after year and passed by this House urging citizens to take back their streets from criminals, is hijacked by partisan politics. Now, a month later, we have to talk about this year's event in the past tense.

This year's event did bring together citizens, law enforcement agencies and civic groups throughout the United States. As Chairman Scott said, about 15,000 communities participated to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and to strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.

National Night Out is the largest, most cost-effective crime prevention campaign. Whether it is stopping illegal drug sales, making schools safer, locating missing children or remaining vigilant against terrorism, local law enforcement officials depend on the support of community networks to succeed.

This high profile, high impact National Night Out sends a message to criminals, letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. The active involvement of citizens and the presence of law enforcement in our communities is a winning combination that makes and keeps neighborhoods safe.

The Stupak-Reichert resolution expresses Congress' support for community crime prevention and asks that the President focus Federal attention on this issue. I urge all our Members to support this resolution.

I thank the gentleman for the time and for his leadership on this very important issue.

I rise today, Mr. Speaker, in strong support of H. Res. 623, and I commend Representative Stupak for bringing this great resolution to the floor.

National Night Out is an innovative and unique crime fighting tool, and the administration's support for this effort is critically important. This resolution sends a strong message to criminals, letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and are fighting back.

It also sends a strong message to volunteers and neighbors and block leaders that their hard work is not going unnoticed by this Congress and this administration. When people volunteer in their community, they are telling the world that their neighborhood matters, that their neighborhood is important, and that it has value. And we hear them, Mr. Speaker.

In these difficult times, volunteering is critical to supporting both our neighbors and our communities. While neighborhood watch groups work tirelessly every night throughout this country, a special night of the year is reserved to celebrate National Night Out.

And on the first Tuesday of every August, nearly 37 million Americans gather together to participate in National Night Out, walking door to door, handing out important safety information, greeting old neighbors and meeting some new people on their block. It takes a community to keep a neighborhood safe, and on August 4 people across America helped keep their neighborhoods just that much safer.

This August 4, I had the honor to participate in the 26th Annual National Night Out in Akron. It was a great experience, and I hope to participate again next year, along with millions of my fellow crime fighting Americans.

I commend the gentleman again for bringing the resolution to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 623, which requests that the President focus appropriate attention on neighborhood crime prevention and coordinate Federal efforts to participate in National Night Out.

Today our suburban communities and neighborhoods throughout the nation are under attack. When our children are no longer free to play outside after school and families no longer feel safe in their suburban communities because gangs, and all the violence and drugs they bring with them, have spread to their communities; and when children are no longer safe in their own homes because thousands of sex offenders are online just waiting for their next prey; when the ``bad guy'' has no face and there are no boundaries thanks to the Internet--our very freedom itself is threatened.

National Night Out is an extraordinary opportunity for citizens, law enforcement, businesses, and local officials to come together to raise awareness about these threats and fight

crime where we live. Last year, over 37 million people participated in National Night Out.

As a former Sheriff, I know how important it is to foster relationships between the community, law enforcement and local businesses and organizations. By coming together we really can create safer places for our children to grow and thrive.

I urge all my colleagues to support H. Res. 623 and community policing efforts throughout their communities.