[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 160 (Thursday, November 6, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S14172]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE CRIMINAL SPAM ACT OF 2003

   Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, in June of this Year, I introduced S. 
1293, the Criminal Spam Act, together with my friend Senator Hatch and 
several of our colleagues on the Judiciary Committee. In September, the 
committee unanimously voted to report the bill to the floor. Two weeks 
ago, the Senate adopted portions of the bill as an amendment to S. 877, 
the CAN SPAM Act. The bill has been cleared from the Democratic 
cloakroom for weeks.
   Unfortunately, this important measure is hung up on the Republican 
side because of an anonymous ``hold'' by some Republican Senator.
   The Criminal Spam Act targets the most pernicious and unscrupulous 
spammers--those who use trickery and deception to induce others to 
relay and view their messages. Ridding America's inboxes of deceptively 
delivered spam will significantly advance our fight against junk e-
mail.
   Why would anyone want to prevent passage of this important 
legislation? It is bipartisan. It is non-controversial. It enjoys broad 
support from businesses, consumer groups, and civil liberties groups 
alike. The administration has only good things to say about it, and I 
know of no individual or organization that opposes it.
   The answer must be that someone on the other side of the aisle is 
playing politics with this bill, holding it up for some reason that has 
nothing to do with it--or for no reason at all.
   We could pass the Criminal Spam Act today, the House could act 
quickly and we could start prosecuting the worst of the worst spammers 
without delay. Instead, a single Republican Senator is allowing these 
individuals to continue to flood the Internet with their unwanted ads.
   The Internet is a valuable asset to our Nation, to our economy, and 
to the lives of Americans. We should act now to secure its continued 
viability and vitality.

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