Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Armstrong) for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as my friend, David Cicilline, just alluded to, we have no higher responsibility than to protect our children. Cyberstalking is a serious crime that needs to be met with stricter penalties and more cooperation amongst law enforcement agencies, including my friends and colleagues in my former agency, the FBI. The Office of Women's Health defines stalking as repeated contact that makes one feel afraid or harassed. Each year, this crime affects an estimated 7.5 million people, including many children. Stalking disproportionately impacts women. Stalking victims are 50 percent more likely to be female, and according to the CDC, one in six women has experienced some form of stalking in their lifetime. Mr. Speaker, my Combat Online Predators Act ensures that not only are we increasing penalties for these crimes, but we are also requiring Federal law enforcement officials to evaluate and update practices to combat this online harassment. This bill provides enhanced criminal penalties for stalkers under title 18, section 2261, by up to 5 years if the victim is a minor. Moreover, the legislation calls for the Attorney General and the Department of Justice to produce an evaluation of Federal, State, and local efforts to enforce laws relating to stalking and to identify and describe elements of these enforcement efforts that constitute best practices across the United States. Moreover, Mr.…”