Patrick Leahy: “today I join Senator Hatch in introducing the PROTECT Act of 2002. This bill is intended to protect our Nation's…”

“today I join Senator Hatch in introducing the PROTECT Act of 2002. This bill is intended to protect our Nation's children from exploitation and protect our constitution at the same time. In the Free Speech Coalition case, seven Justices of the Supreme Court ruled that the definition of child pornography in the CPPA was overbroad and covered such non-obscene movies as Traffic, Romeo and Juliet, and American Beauty. No one intended that. It also ruled that Congress could not broadly ban all ``virtual child pornography,'' which may make prosecutors' jobs very tough in the internet age. The Court in Free Speech faced a difficult task--as do we here-- applying the time honored principles of the first amendment to the computer age. I join Senator Hatch today in introducing a bill carefully drawn to stick. As a former prosecutor, I am more interested in making real cases that protect children than making new first amendment law. There are many people who do not agree with the Supreme Court's decision in Free Speech, but that will not erase it from the books. Everyone wants to protect our children, but we need to do it with cases and laws that don't get tossed out in court. It is tempting to rush to come up with a ``quick fix,'' but we owe our children more than just a press conference on this matter. We owe them careful and thoughtful action. My initial review of the administration's proposal, now working its way through the House, gives me serious concern.”