Patrick Leahy: “I would much prefer that we pass exactly the bill Senator Hatch and I wrote last year and which passed the Senate…”

“I would much prefer that we pass exactly the bill Senator Hatch and I wrote last year and which passed the Senate unanimously. It was then for some reason that leadership in the other body decided not to bring it up. Now we have written one that is very much like the original Hatch-Leahy bill with some modification. I am worried about some of the modifications because of the constitutional problem that may arise, but I am willing to support this bill and will vote for this bill. I would hope the other body would take this bill as it is and not add further to it. I think what happened last year was the case where we passed a good piece of legislation. Republicans and Democrats came together across the political spectrum and passed a good bill on child pornography. And some, I guess, were more concerned about making speeches and all than to actually pass a piece of legislation that would protect children. I have looked at this with the eyes of a former prosecutor. I want to be able to go after child pornographers. There is nobody in this body-- Republican or Democrat--who is on the side of child pornographers. This is not a free speech question; this a child abuse question. Nobody supports those who abuse children for this purpose. So let us understand that and know we can pass this piece of legislation. Let's hope nobody tries to change it to make a political football of it. Let it go forward.”