[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 185 (Wednesday, December 5, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H14190-H14193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       SECURING ADOLESCENTS FROM EXPLOITATION-ONLINE ACT OF 2007

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3791) to modernize and expand the reporting requirements 
relating to child pornography, to expand cooperation in combating child 
pornography, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3791

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Securing Adolescents From 
     Exploitation-Online Act of 2007'' or the ``SAFE Act of 
     2007''.

     SEC. 2. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION 
                   SERVICE PROVIDERS AND REMOTE COMPUTING SERVICE 
                   PROVIDERS.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 110 of title 18, United States 
     Code, is amended by inserting after section 2258 the 
     following:

     ``SEC. 2258A. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF ELECTRONIC 
                   COMMUNICATION SERVICE PROVIDERS AND REMOTE 
                   COMPUTING SERVICE PROVIDERS.

       ``(a) Duty To Report.--
       ``(1) In general.--Whoever, while engaged in providing an 
     electronic communication service or a remote computing 
     service to the public through a facility or means of 
     interstate or foreign commerce, obtains actual knowledge of 
     any facts or circumstances described in paragraph (2) shall, 
     as soon as reasonably possible--
       ``(A) complete and maintain with current information a 
     registration with the CyberTipline of the National Center for 
     Missing and Exploited Children, or any successor to the 
     CyberTipline operated by such center, by providing the 
     mailing address, telephone number, facsimile number, 
     electronic mail address of, and individual point of contact 
     for, such electronic communication service provider or remote 
     computing service provider; and
       ``(B) make a report of such facts or circumstances to the 
     CyberTipline, or any successor to the CyberTipline operated 
     by such center.
       ``(2) Facts or circumstances.--The facts or circumstances 
     described in this paragraph are any facts or circumstances 
     that appear to indicate a violation of--
       ``(A) section 2251, 2251A, 2252, 2252A, 2252B, or 2260 that 
     involves child pornography; or
       ``(B) section 1466A.
       ``(b) Contents of Report.--To the extent available to an 
     electronic communication service provider or a remote 
     computing service provider, each report under subsection 
     (a)(1) shall include the following information:
       ``(1) Information about the involved individual.--
     Information relating to the Internet identity of any 
     individual who appears to have violated a Federal law in the 
     manner described in subsection (a)(2), which shall, to the 
     extent reasonably practicable, include the electronic mail 
     address, website address, uniform resource locator, or any 
     other identifying information, including self-reported 
     identifying information.
       ``(2) Historical reference.--Information relating to when 
     any apparent child pornography was uploaded, transmitted, 
     reported to, or discovered by the electronic communication 
     service provider or remote computing service provider, as the 
     case may be, including a date and time stamp and time zone.
       ``(3) Geographic location information.--Information 
     relating to the geographic location of the involved 
     individual, hosting website, or uniform resource locator, 
     which shall include the Internet Protocol Address or verified 
     billing address, or, if not reasonably available, at least 
     one form of geographic identifying information, including 
     area code or zip code. The information shall also include any 
     self-reported geographic information.
       ``(4) Images of apparent child pornography.--Any image of 
     any apparent child pornography relating to the incident such 
     report is regarding.
       ``(5) Commingled images.--Any images, data, or other 
     digital files (collectively referred to as `digital files') 
     which are commingled or interspersed among the images of 
     apparent child pornography. If it would impose an undue 
     hardship to provide these commingled digital files as part of 
     the report, because of the volume of the digital files or for 
     other reasons, the reporting company shall, in lieu of 
     providing those digital files, inform the CyberTipline of the 
     existence of such digital files, and retain those digital 
     files as if they were part of the report as required pursuant 
     to subsection (h).
       ``(c) Forwarding of Report to Law Enforcement.--
       ``(1) In general.--The National Center for Missing and 
     Exploited Children shall forward each report made under 
     subsection (a)(1) to any appropriate law enforcement agency 
     designated by the Attorney General under subsection (d)(2).

[[Page H14191]]

       ``(2) State and local law enforcement.--The National Center 
     for Missing and Exploited Children may forward any report 
     made under subsection (a)(1) to an appropriate official of a 
     State or political subdivision of a State for the purpose of 
     enforcing State criminal law.
       ``(3) Foreign law enforcement.--The National Center for 
     Missing and Exploited Children may forward any report made 
     under subsection (a)(1) to any appropriate foreign law 
     enforcement agency designated by the Attorney General under 
     subsection (d)(3), subject to the conditions established by 
     the Attorney General under subsection (d)(3).
       ``(d) Attorney General Responsibilities.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Attorney General shall enforce this 
     section.
       ``(2) Designation of federal agencies.--The Attorney 
     General shall designate promptly the Federal law enforcement 
     agency or agencies to which a report shall be forwarded under 
     subsection (c)(1).
       ``(3) Designation of foreign agencies.--The Attorney 
     General shall promptly--
       ``(A) designate the foreign law enforcement agencies to 
     which a report may be forwarded under subsection (c)(3);
       ``(B) establish the conditions under which such a report 
     may be forwarded to such agencies; and
       ``(C) develop a process for foreign law enforcement 
     agencies to request assistance from Federal law enforcement 
     agencies in obtaining evidence related to a report referred 
     under subsection (c)(3).
       ``(e) Failure To Report.--An electronic communication 
     service provider or remote computing service provider that 
     knowingly and willfully fails to make a report required under 
     subsection (a)(1) shall be fined--
       ``(1) in the case of an initial knowing and willful failure 
     to make a report, not more than $150,000; and
       ``(2) in the case of any second or subsequent knowing and 
     willful failure to make a report, not more than $300,000.
       ``(f) Protection of Privacy.--Nothing in this section shall 
     be construed to require an electronic communication service 
     provider or a remote computing service provider to--
       ``(1) monitor any user, subscriber, or customer of that 
     provider;
       ``(2) monitor the content of any communication of any 
     person described in paragraph (1); or
       ``(3) affirmatively seek facts or circumstances described 
     in subsection (a)(2).
       ``(g) Conditions of Disclosure Information Contained Within 
     Report.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), a 
     law enforcement agency that receives a report under 
     subsection (c) shall not disclose any information contained 
     in that report.
       ``(2) Permitted disclosures.--A law enforcement agency may 
     disclose information in a report received under subsection 
     (c)--
       ``(A) to an attorney for the government for use in the 
     performance of the official duties of that attorney;
       ``(B) to such officers and employees of that law 
     enforcement agency, as may be necessary in the performance of 
     their investigative and recordkeeping functions;
       ``(C) to such other government personnel (including 
     personnel of a State or subdivision of a State) as are 
     determined to be necessary by an attorney for the government 
     to assist the attorney in the performance of the official 
     duties of the attorney in enforcing Federal criminal law;
       ``(D) if the report discloses a violation of State criminal 
     law, to an appropriate official of a State or subdivision of 
     a State for the purpose of enforcing such State law;
       ``(E) to a defendant in a criminal case or the attorney for 
     that defendant, to the extent the information relates to a 
     criminal charge pending against that defendant;
       ``(F) to an electronic communication service provider or 
     remote computing provider if necessary to facilitate response 
     to legal process issued in connection to that report. The 
     electronic communication service provider or remote computing 
     service provider shall be prohibited from disclosing the 
     contents of that report to any person, except as necessary to 
     respond to the legal process; and
       ``(G) as ordered by a court upon a showing of good cause 
     and pursuant to any protective orders or other conditions 
     that the court may impose.
       ``(h) Evidence Preservation.--
       ``(1) In general.--For the purposes of this section, the 
     notification to an electronic communication service provider 
     or a remote computing service provider by the CyberTipline of 
     receipt of a report under subsection (a)(1) shall be treated 
     as notice to preserve, as if such notice was made pursuant to 
     section 2703(f).
       ``(2) Preservation of report.--Pursuant to subsection 
     (h)(1), an electronic communication service provider or a 
     remote computing service shall preserve the contents of the 
     report provided pursuant to subsection (b) as well as the 
     information in subsection (c)(2) of section 2703 pertaining 
     to the involved individual for not less than 180 days after 
     such notification by the CyberTipline.
       ``(3) Authorities and duties not affected.--Nothing in this 
     section shall be construed as replacing, amending, or 
     otherwise interfering with the authorities and duties under 
     section 2703.

     ``SEC. 2258B. LIMITED LIABILITY FOR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION 
                   SERVICE PROVIDERS, REMOTE COMPUTING SERVICE 
                   PROVIDERS, OR DOMAIN NAME REGISTRAR.

       ``(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsections (b) 
     and (c), a civil claim or criminal charge against an 
     electronic communication service provider, a remote computing 
     service provider, or domain name registrar, including any 
     director, officer, employee, or agent of such electronic 
     communication service provider, remote computing service 
     provider, or domain name registrar arising from the 
     performance of the reporting responsibilities of such 
     electronic communication service provider, remote computing 
     service provider, or domain name registrar under this 
     section, section 2258A, or section 2258C may not be brought 
     in any Federal or State court.
       ``(b) Intentional, Reckless, or Other Misconduct.--
     Subsection (a) shall not apply to a claim if the electronic 
     communication service provider, remote computing service 
     provider, or domain name registrar, or a director, officer, 
     employee, or agent of that electronic communication service 
     provider, remote computing service provider, or domain name 
     registrar--
       ``(1) engaged in intentional misconduct; or
       ``(2) acted, or failed to act--
       ``(A) with actual malice;
       ``(B) with reckless disregard to a substantial risk of 
     causing injury without legal justification; or
       ``(C) for a purpose unrelated to the performance of any 
     responsibility or function under this section, section 2258A, 
     or section 2258C.
       ``(c) Ordinary Business Activities.--Subsection (a) shall 
     not apply to an act or omission relating to an ordinary 
     business activity of an electronic communication service 
     provider, a remote computing service provider, or domain name 
     registrar, including general administration or operations, 
     the use of motor vehicles, or personnel management.
       ``(d) Minimizing Access.--An electronic communication 
     service provider, a remote computing service provider, and 
     domain name registrar shall--
       ``(1) minimize the number of employees that are provided 
     access to any image provided under section 2258A or 2258C; 
     and
       ``(2) ensure that any such image is permanently destroyed, 
     upon notification from a law enforcement agency.

     ``SEC. 2258C. USE OF IMAGES FROM THE CYBERTIPLINE TO COMBAT 
                   CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.

       ``(a) In General.--The National Center for Missing and 
     Exploited Children is authorized to provide elements relating 
     to any image reported to its CyberTipline to an electronic 
     communication service provider or a remote computing service 
     provider for the sole and exclusive purpose of permitting 
     that electronic communication service provider or remote 
     computing service provider to stop the further transmission 
     of images. Such elements may include unique identifiers 
     associated with a specific image, Internet location of 
     images, and other technological elements that can be used to 
     identify and stop the transmission of child pornography.
       ``(b) Use by Electronic Communication Service Providers and 
     Remote Computing Service Providers.--Any electronic 
     communication service provider or remote computing service 
     provider that receives elements relating to an image from the 
     National Center for Missing and Exploited Children under this 
     section may use such information only for the purposes 
     described in this section, provided that such use shall not 
     relieve that electronic communication service provider or 
     remote computing service provider from its reporting 
     obligations under section 2258A.

     ``SEC. 2258D. LIMITED LIABILITY FOR THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR 
                   MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN.

       ``(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsections (b) 
     and (c), a civil claim or criminal charge against the 
     National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, including 
     any director, officer, employee, or agent of such center, 
     arising from the performance of the CyberTipline 
     responsibilities or functions of such center, as described in 
     this section, section 2258A or 2258C of this title, or 
     section 404 of the Missing Children's Assistance Act (42 
     U.S.C. 5773), or from the effort of such center to identify 
     child victims may not be brought in any Federal or State 
     court.
       ``(b) Intentional, Reckless, or Other Misconduct.--
     Subsection (a) shall not apply to a claim or charge if the 
     National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, or a 
     director, officer, employee, or agent of such center--
       ``(1) engaged in intentional misconduct; or
       ``(2) acted, or failed to act--
       ``(A) with actual malice;
       ``(B) with reckless disregard to a substantial risk of 
     causing injury without legal justification; or
       ``(C) for a purpose unrelated to the performance of any 
     responsibility or function under this section, section 2258A 
     or 2258C of this title, or section 404 of the Missing 
     Children's Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5773).
       ``(c) Ordinary Business Activities.--Subsection (a) shall 
     not apply to an act or omission relating to an ordinary 
     business activity, including general administration or 
     operations, the use of motor vehicles, or personnel 
     management.
       ``(d) Minimizing Access.--The National Center for Missing 
     and Exploited Children shall--

[[Page H14192]]

       ``(1) minimize the number of employees that are provided 
     access to any image provided under section 2258A; and
       ``(2) ensure that any such image is permanently destroyed 
     upon notification from a law enforcement agency.

     ``SEC. 2258E. DEFINITIONS.

       ``In sections 2258A through 2258D--
       ``(1) the terms `attorney for the government' and `State' 
     have the meanings given those terms in rule 1 of the Federal 
     Rules of Criminal Procedure;
       ``(2) the term `electronic communication service' has the 
     meaning given that term in section 2510;
       ``(3) the term `electronic mail address' has the meaning 
     given that term in section 3 of the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 (15 
     U.S.C. 7702);
       ``(4) the term `Internet' has the meaning given that term 
     in section 1101 of the Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. 
     151 note);
       ``(5) the term `remote computing service' has the meaning 
     given that term in section 2711; and
       ``(6) the term `website' means any collection of material 
     placed in a computer server-based file archive so that it is 
     publicly accessible, over the Internet, using hypertext 
     transfer protocol or any successor protocol.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Repeal of superceded provision.--Section 227 of the 
     Crime Control Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 13032) is repealed.
       (2) Table of sections.--The table of sections for chapter 
     110 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
     after the item relating to section 2258 the following:

``2258A. Reporting requirements of electronic communication service 
              providers and remote computing service providers.
``2258B. Limited liability for electronic communication service 
              providers and remote computing service providers.
``2258C. Use of images from the CyberTipline to combat child 
              pornography.
``2258D. Limited liability for the National Center for Missing and 
              Exploited Children.
``2258E. Definitions.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Conyers) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks, including 
extraneous material, on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Members of the House, this measure, H.R. 3791, called the SAFE Act, 
will improve the ability of our law enforcement officers to investigate 
offenses involving child pornography and the exploitation of children 
by the Internet.
  Under current law, Internet service providers are required to file a 
report to the cyber tip line of the National Center of Missing and 
Exploited Children when the provider learns of child pornography. The 
center serves as a clearinghouse for leads and sends the reports to law 
enforcement agencies around the United States and to the Federal Bureau 
of Investigation.
  Unfortunately though, many Internet companies are unaware of these 
obligations, and the law is unclear as to the precise information that 
is required to be reported to the center. This bill addresses the 
aforementioned problems.
  First, it facilitates the reporting of child pornography from 
Internet service providers to the center by clarifying the information 
that must be reported. Then it specifies the data that must be 
maintained by the reporting company for law enforcement purposes. And 
finally, it provides certain liability waivers for the center and 
Internet service providers for their roles in dealing with child 
pornography as required by law. Therefore, H.R. 3791 makes clear the 
precise reporting obligations of Internet providers and, in this way, 
will facilitate the investigation and prosecution of child pornography 
and other crimes against children that involve the Internet. I think 
this is an important measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to, at this time yield so much time 
as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio, Congressman Chabot, who 
was an original cosponsor of this legislation.
  Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3791, the Securing 
Adolescents From Exploitation-Online Act of 2007. The bill's author, 
the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Lampson) and I have worked 
closely on several bills in strengthening our child protection laws.
  I also want to thank Chairman Conyers and also the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Forbes) for their leadership in this area as well. And 
I'm pleased to be the principal cosponsor of this bill with Mr. 
Lampson, particularly as it provides law enforcement with better 
information to fight the despicable act of child pornography.
  We don't have to look any further than our homes and our communities 
to see that predators are threatening and victimizing our children with 
just a simple click. The Internet, while providing a world of 
opportunity to our children, has also contributed to a worldwide 
expansion of child pornography enabling predators to more easily abuse, 
exploit and prey on our most precious items, and that's our children.
  H.R. 3791 builds on the investigative tools already in place under 
the leadership of the National Center for Missing and Exploited 
Children. Through the CyberTipline, the center plays a critical role 
interfacing between Federal, State and foreign law enforcement and the 
public, providing valuable information in ongoing investigations.
  H.R. 3791 recognizes that advances in technology have made electronic 
communication service providers the first line of defense against 
crimes against children, possessing the real-time information critical 
to child pornography investigations. By requiring electronic 
communication service providers to report this information to the 
CyberTipline as soon as reasonably possible and maintain this 
information for an investigation, this act, the SAFE Act, is giving 
Federal, State and foreign law enforcement and prosecutors a fighting 
chance to put these criminals away, no matter where they are located.
  And one of the things that I found out in doing investigations into 
this particular area was the shocking fact that there are only 50 
nations, including the United States, where child pornography is 
illegal. Fifty nations. There are 184 nations around the world where 
it's perfectly legal to have, possess, to convey child pornography. So 
that's something that I think we need to have some focus and some 
attention directed upon, how much of the world, and that stuff gets in 
here through the Internet. It may be in China, it may be in Pakistan, 
it may be somewhere else, but it can be on our computers in our living 
rooms with our children very quickly, so we need to do a much better 
job on that, too.
  But I want to again thank Mr. Lampson for his leadership in this 
area, and I again want to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3791 
today.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased now to recognize again Nick 
Lampson of Texas for the great work he has done in this area. I yield 
him as much time as he may consume.
  But I do want to mention Steve Chabot of the Judiciary Committee, who 
has worked with us all in the creation of this legislation.
  Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the honorable Mr. Conyers from 
Michigan for yielding me the time and for the great work that you've 
done on the Judiciary Committee and particularly on this particular 
issue, and I thank you for letting me be a part of this.
  And for Mr. Chabot, the work that he has done on not just this, but 
other legislation having to do with child safety, child protection.
  I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in voting for H.R. 3791, 
the Securing Adolescents From Exploitation-Online Act of 2007. This 
bill modernizes and expands the reporting requirements relating to 
child pornography and expands cooperation in combating child 
pornography.
  Stories of Internet predators preying on innocents making their way 
into our children's bedrooms with the simple click of a mouse, and 
they're seen and heard all too often in our media. The age of sweet 16 
used to be about parties and learning to drive, but now it marks the 
threshold of Internet freedom. Popular social networking Web sites 
allow profiles to be public, providing predators with an encyclopedia

[[Page H14193]]

of pictures, personal interests and even addresses, which they can be 
used, or they can use to cause harm.
  Well, this dangerous trend has become a feeding ground for pedophiles 
and convicted sex offenders. Parents, law enforcement and legislators 
must work together to bring social networking Web sites into the fight 
to protect America's children. And I've joined with one of my cochairs 
of the Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, I just mentioned Mr. 
Chabot, in introducing the Securing Adolescents From Exploitation-
Online, the SAFE Act.
  The SAFE Act provides increased resources for law enforcement to 
capture and prosecute and incarcerate these criminals. By expanding the 
system for service providers to report child pornography found on the 
systems, we improve child safety and prevent future atrocities.
  Currently, Internet service providers are mandated to report child 
pornography to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 
Under the SAFE Act, all electronic service communications providers and 
remote computing service providers will have to report child 
pornography. For knowingly and willingly not filing a report after 
being made aware of a child pornography image, these providers will be 
subject to increased fines of $150,000 per image per day for the first 
offense and up to $300,000 per image per day for any image found 
thereafter.

                              {time}  1415

  This bill will also increase the efficiency of the CyberTipline, 
making it a better investigative tool for law enforcement by mandating 
that all information submitted by providers is consistent. The process 
outlined in this bill keeps law enforcement officials in the loop by 
making information more readily accessible and requires providers to 
retain key data that law enforcement agencies can use to investigate 
and prosecute child predators.
  Over 10 years ago, I created the bipartisan Congressional Caucus on 
Missing and Exploited Children after a young girl in my district was 
kidnapped and murdered. And since then, I have continued to work 
extensively with organizations such as the National Center for Missing 
and Exploited Children on educating Members of Congress and others on 
legislation such as the SAFE Act that strengthen the National Center's 
ability to keep children safer online and on our streets.
  Many of us have watched Dateline's popular series ``To Catch a 
Predator,'' and organizations such as Perverted Justice that actively 
look for Internet child predators. We need to become partners in this 
fight by talking with our children about the dangers of strangers 
online and making Internet use a family activity.
  While parents should teach their children that the Internet may offer 
many different types of resources, from entertainment to educational, 
it also poses many risks. Parents are the first line of defense against 
online predators, and the SAFE Act will reinforce their efforts.
  Internet companies will need to do their part as well. When we begin 
to hold Web sites accountable for the images that they host, we've 
taken the first step toward supporting parents in their efforts to 
protect children. Our combined efforts will help make the Internet a 
safer place.
  I again want to thank and recognize some of the people who have 
worked so hard to make this legislation what it has become, those 
staffers who have worked diligently in bringing this legislation to 
fruition: Committee on Judiciary staffers Ted Kalo and Mark Dubester; 
Congressman Steve Chabot's staffer Kim Betz; and my staffers, Dan 
Easley and Abby Shannon, and a very special thank you to my 
distinguished Republican colleague, Steve Chabot, who has worked 
tirelessly on the issue of child safety, working with me as one of the 
cochairs of the Congressional Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. 
I have great respect for the work that he has done here in Congress as 
well as for the work that he has done in his congressional district, 
and for championing this legislation on his side of the aisle and for 
helping to ensure that not only are Ohio's children protected but all 
of America's children are as well.
  Once again, I would like to thank John and Reve Walsh for all the 
time that they have spent in helping us make this legislation 
successful, and Ernie Allen, who has spent, along with the Walshes, a 
good part of this day making sure that others of our colleagues were 
aware of it, and to be willing to support it. I thank them for their 
magnificent contribution that they've made to protecting children 
across this world, not just in the United States of America. It's 
because of their persistent dedication to this cause that so many of 
our children sleep more safely at night.
  Again, I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 3791.
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join those voices in support of H.R. 
3791, the Securing Adolescents from Exploitation-Online Act of 2007, 
otherwise known as the SAFE Act.
  Child pornography is a profitable, global criminal enterprise and is 
growing rapidly in technical sophistication in response to efforts to 
detect and disrupt these criminal operations. It is despicable in its 
scope and in its vicious victimization of children.
  The Federal Bureau of Investigation estimates that 50,000 child 
predators are online at any time searching for potential victims. The 
Internet is a virtual playground for sexual predators, who satiate 
their desire for child pornography with relative anonymity.
  H.R. 3791, the SAFE Act, would, first of all, strengthen the 
requirements applicable to Internet service providers to report 
violations of child pornography laws, and second, provide limited 
liability to ISPs, telecommunications carriers, and the National Center 
for Missing and Exploited Children in connection with the reporting to 
law enforcement agencies of child pornography violations.
  This legislation is a good first step in addressing the problem of 
child pornography. However, there is much more that needs to be done. 
In February 2007, Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Smith and I 
introduced H.R. 837, the Internet SAFETY Act of 2007, a comprehensive 
proposal to provide law enforcement with the tools and resources needed 
to deal with the problem of child pornography. Unfortunately, the 
majority has chosen not to consider this vital proposal. I am hopeful 
that the majority will bring H.R. 837 up for consideration by the 
Judiciary Committee and then to the House floor.
  Our children deserve as much protection as we can provide. They are 
vulnerable victims of the child pornography industry. We need to do 
more. A first step is good, but we cannot stop here. We must keep 
moving forward to keep our children safe.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ross). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3791, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________