11.   But many House and Senate Republicans oppose expanding the law, saying instead that states should receive greater federal assistance in combating and prosecuting crimes under the existing statute.

12.   By all accounts, Boyd, an expert in prosecuting gun crimes, played a key role in a landmark effort to reduce the murder rate in Boston.

13.   Consequently, Lawrence advocates an increased role for federal authorities in investigating and prosecuting hate crimes, though local officials would generally continue to take the lead.

14.   Crimes can be prosecuted in criminal court later, Lieberman noted.

15.   Defense lawyers are essentially arguing that the government may not prosecute crimes it effectively authorized informers to commit.

16.   District attorneys throughout the state said they too have budgetary problems, and additionally must give a higher priority to prosecuting violent crime than political corruption cases.

17.   Federal law prohibits the government from prosecuting most crimes, other than capital offenses, that happened more than five years before a person is indicted.

18.   Federal prosecutors already have authority to prosecute hate crimes involving race, religion or ethnicity.

19.   Federal authorities, who prosecute crimes on reservations, report no increase in violence related to the casinos.

20.   He said broader federal jurisdiction to prosecute these crimes is essential.