Jack Brooks: “Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment offered by the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Smith]. No crimes are…”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment offered by the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Smith]. No crimes are more abhorrent than crimes involving child sexual abuse. Even the thought of such abuse of a child is repellent to every person of any decency. Betrayal of a child through any abuse is both sickening and saddening to the extreme. With this in mind, in crafting H.R. 4092 we expanded Federal protections for children. For example, title 3 makes clear that any assault of a child will be taken very seriously. Title 12 creates a new felony for child pornographers outside the United States to mirror existing Federal law against domestic child pornographers. It creates new Federal felonies for traveling either domestically or internationally to engage in a sexual act with a child, and it contains a sense of the Congress that each State should enact strong legislation against child pornography. Title 13 will help States establish programs so that States and local governments will know the whereabouts of any person convicted of a crime against a child. The amendment by the gentleman from New Jersey assists us in this effort to make absolutely clear that Congress is firm, indeed adamant, on this point: Children in this country will be protected from those who would prey upon them. I urge adoption of this amendment.”