[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 134 (Wednesday, September 25, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11285-S11286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    CHILD PORNOGRAPHY PREVENTION ACT

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I rise today in strong support of S. 
1237, the Child Pornography Prevention Act, introduced by Senator 
Hatch. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this very important 
piece of legislation, which would close loopholes in the current child 
pornography statutes created by computer technology. Now, due to the 
marvels of modern technology, child pornographers can use computers to 
create synthetic child pornography which is so realistic and life-like 
that no expert can distinguish it from traditional kiddie porn. S. 1237 
would close that gap.
  But the bill has not come up for a vote yet, even though the bill was 
put on the calendar over a month ago. Why is that? Why has not the 
Senate moved to pass this legislation quickly and send it to the House 
as the 104th Congress comes to an end?
  The reason, Mr. President, is that some Senators from the other side 
of the aisle will not let the bill come up for a vote because they 
oppose stiff new mandatory penalties for child pornographers.
  In the Judiciary Committee, I offered an amendment which would create 
a three-strikes-and-you're-out penalty structure for the production of 
child pornography. First time offenders will receive a 10-year minimum 
sentence. For a second offense, there would be a 15-year minimum 
sentence, and for a third offense, there would be a minimum sentence of 
30 years to life. My amendment passed the committee after much debate.
  But now, some Senators from the other side of the aisle are using 
senatorial privilege in order to have my amendment stripped out of the 
bill without ever having a vote on the matter. These Senators are 
literally holding the Senate hostage. In contrast,

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Senators on my side of the aisle have informally offered to have 
another vote on this issue. But to no avail.
  Mr. President, this is outrageous. I believe that the American people 
want tougher penalties for child molesters and child pornographers. And 
I am proud to have taken a leadership role on the issue. To the 
Democrat Senators who oppose minimum sentences for child pornographers, 
I say let's have a vote. Secret tricks like holds should not be used to 
drop the bottom out of the penalties for child pornographers.
  I think that this is shameful, Mr. President. And I believe that the 
American people have a right to know why the Child Pornography 
Prevention Act is bottled up on the Senate floor. The roadblock to 
passage of this vitally important bill with tougher child pornography 
penalties is not the Republican caucus. It is not my side of the aisle 
which is blocking this bill trying to lower the penalties for child 
pornographers.
  If the bill does not pass this year, the fault will rest squarely on 
the shoulders of the other side of the aisle.
  I remain ready to vote on this matter. I encourage my friends on the 
other side of the aisle to come out and debate minimum sentences for 
child pornographers.

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