[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3985 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3985

  To authorize appropriations for the International Child Pornography 
     Investigation and Coordination Center of the Customs Service.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 3, 1998

 Mr. Lampson (for himself, Ms. Norton, Mr. Bentsen, Mr. Gutknecht, Mr. 
  Peterson of Minnesota, Ms. Granger, Mr. Neal of Massachusetts, Mr. 
  Lofgren, Mr. Foley, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, Mr. Etheridge, Ms. Millender-
 McDonald, Ms. Rivers, Mr. Boswell, Mr. Frost, Mr. Reyes, Mr. Lewis of 
  Georgia, Mr. Maloney of Connecticut, Mrs. Thurman, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. 
 McGovern, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Evans, Mr. Wynn, Ms. Dunn of 
  Washington, Mr. Hinojosa, Mr. Oxley, Mr. Calvert, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. 
 Jackson-Lee, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Furse, and Mr. Rothman) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize appropriations for the International Child Pornography 
     Investigation and Coordination Center of the Customs Service.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) Child pornography, a worldwide industry that was all 
        but eradicated in the 1980's, has resurfaced with a vengeance, 
        because of computer technology.
            (2) This illegal activity has flourished on the Internet, 
        with child pornography traded freely in chat rooms, news 
        groups, and private e-mail.
            (3) Pedophiles, child molesters, and other purveyors of 
        child pornography now have instant access to explicit photos in 
        the privacy of their own homes and offices.
            (4) Pursuant to the Child Protection Act of 1984, the 
        Customs Service created its first anti-child pornography 
        program in 1985, which provides administrative, programmatic, 
        and operational support to all field offices and attaches of 
        the Customs Service.
            (5) Although the efforts of the Customs Service in keeping 
        hard copy print and video child pornography from entering the 
        United States have been largely successful, the computer has 
        increasingly become the venue of choice for pedophiles, child 
        molesters, and other purveyors of child pornography to gain 
        wider, easier, and safer access to child pornography and to 
        children.
            (6) To further combat both traditional and computer-based 
        forms of child pornography and exploitation, the Commissioner 
        of Customs established the Customs Service International Child 
        Pornography Investigation and Coordination Center (ICPICC), the 
        primary objectives of which are to provide guidance and support 
        to the field in the investigation of complex cases involving 
        child pornography violations and to coordinate the 
        international efforts of the Customs Service to combat child 
        pornography and train foreign law enforcement officials. The 
        functions of the Center are--
                    (A) to design and maintain computer data bases for 
                the compilation and analysis of intelligence related to 
                child pornography;
                    (B) to act as the central processing point for the 
                coordination and dissemination of all domestic and 
                foreign intelligence information from the Customs 
                Service and other agencies and entities relating to 
                child pornography investigations, including developing 
                and coordinating special projects to obtain 
                intelligence on child pornography;
                    (C) to develop and operate proactive undercover 
                operations and provide information and evidence to the 
                field for investigation;
                    (D) to act as the central coordinating point for 
                all child pornography undercover operations and 
                initiatives in the field to maximize use of scarce 
                resources and eliminate duplication of effort;
                    (E) to assist the training academy of the Customs 
                Service in the development of training courses in child 
                pornography investigations; and
                    (F) to conduct an aggressive public awareness 
                campaign to educate the public, the press, and the 
                worldwide law enforcement community about the role of 
                the Customs Service in investigating child exploitation 
                and trafficking of child pornography.
            (7) Additional funding is required for the ICPICC to 
        effectively perform its functions.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL CHILD 
              PORNOGRAPHY INVESTIGATION AND COORDINATION CENTER.

    There are authorized to be appropriated for the International Child 
Pornography Investigation and Coordination Center of the United States 
Customs Service, established in April 1996, $2,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002.
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