[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 30 (Wednesday, March 18, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1242]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

  (Mr. RILEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. RILEY. Mr. Speaker, all crimes, particularly those involving acts 
of violence, are an assault upon society. But crimes against children, 
Mr. Speaker, are an attack upon the very soul of our society. Among the 
worst of these crimes is child pornography. Today Federal law does 
prohibit individuals from possessing child pornography, but 
unfortunately the law does not go far enough. In fact, it only 
prohibits the possession of three or more items that visually depict 
children in sexually explicit situations.

                              {time}  1030

  Mr. Speaker, that is wrong; and it is time we do something about it.
  Last month, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) and I introduced 
House Resolution 3185, the Abolishing Child Pornography Act. This 
legislation would close the three or more loopholes by making the 
possession of all child pornography illegal, whether it is two 
photographs or 200 photographs.
  I urge my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, to bring this important 
legislation to the floor so that we can finally do what is right for 
our children.

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