[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 47 (Friday, April 24, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3588-S3589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DeWINE (for himself and Mrs. Hutchison):
  S. 1987. A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, with respect 
to violent sex crimes against children, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on the Judiciary.


    the child protection and sexual predator punishment act of 1998

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Child 
Protection and Sexual Predator Punishment Act of 1998. The purpose of 
this legislation is to address the problem of child molesters and 
pedophiles who use computers, and the Internet in particular, to commit 
crimes of sexual abuse and exploitation against our most vulnerable 
citizens--our children. I appreciate Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison 
joining me in this important effort.
  The Child Protection and Sexual Predator Punishment Act is a 
comprehensive bill that combats the growing problem of criminals who 
misuse our information superhighway to contact children for purposes of 
sexual abuse and exploitation. Not only does this legislation send a 
strong message that America will not tolerate the abuse of its 
children, it will also make it easier to put these heinous criminals 
out of commission.
  Mr. President, my wife Fran and I have eight children--ages 6 to 30. 
There is nothing more important to parents than protecting their 
children from harm. There was a time, not so long ago, when parents 
could feel secure when their children were at home or in a library--
that their child would at least be safe from danger in those places. 
But along with the tremendous benefit of the Internet, we have also 
unfortunately, unintentionally invited strangers into our homes, and 
sometime our children's rooms, just because computers may be located 
there. Strangers who sometimes have the immoral and criminal intent to 
lure our kids into deviant sexual, abusive, and illegal activity right 
under our noses.
  Not long ago, a 47-year-old Ohio man used the Internet to entice a 
12-year-old girl in New Jersey to make pornographic videos of herself. 
He posed on-line as a 15-year-old, who promised that he would forward 
copies of the pornographic video to her favorite music band members. 
She made four sexually explicit videos before the man was apprehended 
by authorities. There are literally hundreds of these examples, and 
many even worse, occurring every day in America. It has become 
commonplace to hear about a child being lured across the country via 
the Internet by a pedophile.
  I hope, and believe, that through this legislation we can begin to 
restore the peace of mind parents should have when their children use 
the Internet at school, at the library, or in their home.
  This bill will protect children from cyber-stalkers and porn peddlers 
by prohibiting contacting of a minor on the Internet for the purpose of 
engaging in illegal sexual activity. It prohibits knowingly 
transferring obscene materials to a minor over the Internet. In 
addition, the maximum penalty is doubled for enticing a minor to travel 
across State lines for illegal sexual activity. Using a computer to 
persuade a minor to engage in prostitution or a sexual act will carry a 
maximum sentence of 15 years, and a minimum sentence of 3 years.
  Also, law enforcement is given the tools to quickly and effectively 
investigate sex and kidnaping crimes involving children. Pretrial 
detention is provided for Federal sex offenders, and administrative 
subpoenas are allowed in certain child exploitation investigations. In 
addition, the bill clarifies that kidnaping investigations do not 
require waiting 24 hours--they can be initiated immediately. Further, 
Federal jurisdiction is provided in kidnaping cases where a facility or 
means of interstate or foreign commerce is used.
  Mr. President, a person today can get almost anything on the 
Internet. With this bill, we are trying to make sure that they cannot 
get our children.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, technology has opened many doors for 
communications and information sharing. Unfortunately, criminals have 
found new ways to use the innovations to hurt children.
  Today I am introducing with Senator DeWine the Child Protection and 
Sexual Predator Punishment Act of 1998. Our bill will give law 
enforcement the necessary tools to stop crimes against children, 
especially those initiated through the Internet and commercial on-line 
services.
  Along with the proliferation of users of on-line services, our nation 
has seen a rise in crimes committed against children by sexual 
predators on-line. Every day, pedophiles stalk children through the 
computer, transmitting pornography to them and enticing them to 
participate in illegal activity. In some of the most tragic instances, 
these criminals have convinced children to travel long distances to 
meet them, only to face horrendous abuse by their ``hosts.''
  In response to the growing number of these crimes. Congress has and 
will surely continue to appropriate funds to allow collaboration among 
FBI and state and local law enforcement to develop effective means to 
prevent innocent children from being exploited. In the past, funds have 
been used to train officers to detect cybercrime, pursue sexual 
predators and establish child sexual exploitation cyber-squads of state 
and local officers.
  But the responsibility of Congress is not only to provide necessary 
resources. We have an unfinished responsibility to give officers the 
legal tools they need to stop these crimes before they happen. In 
addition, Congress must send the unequivocal message to criminals who 
dare to prey on children that such crimes will not be tolerated.
  As children and adults increase their use of computers and online 
services, this problem will only get worse. Only through aggressive 
enforcement will

[[Page S3589]]

we be able to combat this rise in tragic crimes against our most 
vulnerable citizens--children.
                                 ______