mr. chairman , i yield myself such time as i may consume . 
i think it is very laudable that we are taking up the issue of gun violence and gang violence . 
this is a problem that affects just about every community ; and i think this bill , while i do not agree with all of its approaches , certainly has merit . 
it relies in significant part on mandatory minimum sentences . 
some people will say we have gone too far . 
the point is with mandatory minimums , you have two aspects : one , the punitive aspect . 
we will get bad actors off the street . 
the second aspect is deterrence . 
people being aware of mandatory minimums will not , in fact , do the crime . 
in the instance of a 30-year mandatory minimum sentence for murder , for sexual assault , for maiming , this is designed to discourage people from engaging in this conduct . 
my amendment would simply authorize the attorney general to engage in a media campaign to let people know about these new mandatory minimums so that we can , in fact , have a deterrent effect . 
the deterrence requires a certain knowledge of the consequences of one 's acts . 
by having a media campaign , we are in a position to let young people who may be either in a gang or contemplating joining a gang understand that , if they engage in a maiming , cutting off someone 's arm , if they engage in an aggravated sexual assault , that they are facing a potential 30-year mandatory minimum sentence , the idea being that this mandatory minimum sentence would discourage the conduct . 
i think the media campaign contained and authorized under this amendment would further that goal . 
so i would ask for favorable consideration . 
