Rep. Robert C. Scott Holds a Hearing On H.R. 1759, the Managing Arson Through Criminal History Act of 2007

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Rep. Robert C. Scott Holds a Hearing On H.R. 1759, the Managing Arson Through Criminal History Act of 2007

HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON CRIME, TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY HOLDS A HEARING ON H.R. 1759, THE MANAGING ARSON THROUGH CRIMINAL HISTORY ACT OF 2007

NOVEMBER 6, 2007

SPEAKERS: REP. ROBERT C. SCOTT, D-VA. CHAIRMAN REP. MAXINE WATERS, D-CALIF. REP. BILL DELAHUNT, D-MASS. REP. JERROLD NADLER, D-N.Y. REP. HANK JOHNSON, D-GA. REP. ANTHONY WEINER, D-N.Y. REP. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE, D-TEXAS REP. ARTUR DAVIS, D-ALA. REP. TAMMY BALDWIN, D-WIS. REP. JOHN CONYERS JR., D-MICH. EX OFFICIO

REP. J. RANDY FORBES, R-VA. RANKING MEMBER REP. LOUIE GOHMERT, R-TEXAS REP. F. JAMES SENSENBRENNER JR., R-WIS. REP. HOWARD COBLE, R-N.C. REP. STEVE CHABOT, R-OHIO REP. DAN LUNGREN, R-CALIF. REP. LAMAR SMITH, R-TEXAS EX OFFICIO

WITNESSES: REP. MARY BONO, R-CALIF.;

REP. ADAM B. SCHIFF, D-CALIF.

TRACY PANSINI, BURBANK FIRE DEPARTMENT, BURBANK, CALIFORNIA

WILLIAM SOQUI, FIRE CHIEF, CATHEDRAL CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT, CATHEDRAL CITY, CALIFORNIA

[*] SCOTT: The subcommittee will come to order.

I'm pleased to welcome you today on the hearing before the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security on H.R. 1759, the Managing Arson Through Criminal History Act, or the MATCH Act.

According to the United States Fire Administration, arson is the leading cause of fire in the United States, causing over 2,000 injuries and 400 deaths annually. This also results in an annual $1.4 billion in property damage.

It's one of the most difficult crimes to prosecute, with only 16 percent of the cases resulting in arrest and only 2 percent resulting in a conviction.

Although arson places a tremendous cost in property and lives every year, there's no national registry requiring convicted arsonists to notify law enforcement of their residence, place of employment or other information that would aid law enforcement in identifying offenders with a demonstrated proclivity to committing arson offenses.

To aid law enforcement in identifying criminal activity related to arson, the gentlelady from California, Ms. Bono, introduce H.R. 1759, the MATCH Act of 2007, which would establish a comprehensive nationwide network registry database maintained by the attorney general that would track convicted arsonists.

The bill has 52 co-sponsors with broad bipartisan support and would mandate convicted arsonists to register in each jurisdiction in which he or she resides, as an employee or as a student at an educational institution.

Proponents of 1759 believe that with such information law enforcement authorities would be able to identify those who have -- with a demonstrated proclivity tow...

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