[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 121 (Monday, September 26, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1946-E1947]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3132, CHILDREN'S SAFETY ACT OF 2005

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                               speech of

                            HON. TODD TIAHRT

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 14, 2005

  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Children's 
Safety Act. We have heard heart-wrenching accounts of the devastating 
effects, both immediate and long-term, of sexual abuse and it is time 
we pass legislation that would help prevent further cases of abuse.
  It is vital that sex offenders are required by law to report to law 
enforcement nationwide once they move residences. Our children are at 
risk when these felons are unaccounted for. With a National Sex 
Offender Registry in place and freely accessible to the public, 
American families will be safer and parents can further protect their 
children from sexual predators. We have heard of too many victims that 
suffered through the horrible acts of sexual abuse by a convicted sex 
offender who failed to update their registration with the sex offender 
registry. Too many times sexual offenders have moved out of state and 
left their hurtful past only to commit the same crimes. Too many times 
sexual offenders have been released from prison after serving a term 
for sexual abuse only to disappear because they were never forced to 
register. Too often parents have found out after the attack that a 
neighbor or friend has a history of sexual abuse.
  The Children's Safety Act would give additional tools to our citizens 
and law enforcement to track offenders and prevent additional attacks. 
By expanding the coverage of sex offenders to include any felony sex 
offender and misdemeanor sex offenses and possession of child 
pornography, we will be giving our parents and our police the 
additional information so they are proactive on preventing sexual 
attacks. The Children's Safety Act also puts into law more common 
sense, that sex offenders should be forced to register before they are 
released from prison. And the Children's Safety Act allows states to 
increase the amount of information that they post on the Nation Sex 
Offender Registry so families and law enforcement officials can keep 
track of these predators.
  I am disappointed that this bill was brought to the floor of the 
House with an amendment

[[Page E1947]]

expanding federal hate-crimes protections. I voted AGAINST this 
amendment, but supported the bill to further protect our children 
against sexual predators, under the assurance the ``hate crimes'' 
amendment would not survive the Conference between the House and the 
Senate as was the case last year with the Defense Department 
Authorizations Bill. The amendment would federalize local crimes if the 
suspected motive is animosity toward homosexuals or transgenders. While 
I strongly abhor bigotry and discrimination, hate-crime legislation 
would require the government to provide for more punishment for any 
given violent crime or physical assault simply because the government 
decided that the motive for the crime was more heinous than another. 
Every citizen must be afforded the same amount of protection and 
fairness provided for under the law; however, none must be given a 
``special'' status. Individuals caught committing a crime must 
understand that conviction will be certain, sentencing will be swift 
and punishment will be severe--and now with the passage of the 
Children's Safety Act, sex offenders will be held to more strict 
punishment and limitation.
  Ensuring the security of our citizens, and especially our children, 
should be the primary focus of government. The Children's Safety Act 
helps meet this entrusted obligation, and I am proud to cast my vote in 
support of this measure.




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