Russ Feingold: “I cannot support the Child Custody Protection Act. First, I object to the decision to bring this bill directly to the…”

“I cannot support the Child Custody Protection Act. First, I object to the decision to bring this bill directly to the floor, circumventing the Senate's committee process. I remember when this bill came before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 105th Congress. We held a hearing, debated and voted on amendments, and even issued a committee report with minority views. Mr. President, that was in 1998; surely, the factual basis of this legislation has changed since then. I do not see why the Leadership feels that this bill no longer deserves the serious consideration that it received eight years ago. In addition, this bill is an overreach of Federal power that comes at the expense of the health and safety of young women. The notion that one State may not impose its laws outside its territorial boundaries is a core federalist principle, and I believe this bill might very well violate the Constitution if enacted. States should retain their right to enact and implement appropriate policies within their territorial boundaries. The Child Custody Protection Act would preempt these rights by allowing the laws of certain States to essentially trump the laws in other States. In an ideal world, all young women who face this difficult decision would be able to turn to their parents.…”