[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 60 (Tuesday, May 16, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H3057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       OBSCENITY LAW ENFORCEMENT

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, 80 percent of the American people say they 
want obscenity laws vigorously enforced. That same 80 percent do not 
believe the Government is doing its job, and they are right. Between 
1992 and 1998, prosecutions for violations of Federal obscenity laws 
dropped 86 percent. A leading distributor of pornographic videos told 
TV Guide that the President was, and I quote, on our team. He said, 
``It's not that Clinton has been outwardly supportive of the adult 
industry but rather that he hasn't tried to quash it the way 
Republicans did back in the 1980s.''
  Even the public airwaves are not safe anymore. Sexual material on TV 
was more than three times as frequent in 1999 as it was in 1989. Foul 
language was more than five times as high. But the FCC has not 
collected a single fine or forfeiture or refused to renew a license due 
to broadcast indecency in 15 years.
  Our children deserve better protection. The Justice Department and 
the President need to start enforcing the law on obscenity.

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