Russ Feingold: “I am pleased that the distinguished Chairman of the Judiciary Committee has agreed to cosponsor my Child Exploitation…”

“I am pleased that the distinguished Chairman of the Judiciary Committee has agreed to cosponsor my Child Exploitation Sentencing Enhancement Amendment and add it to the authorization bill for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). As we all know, miraculous advances in computer technology have opened new worlds to citizens all across this country. It's an exciting future. But it is also a future filled with risk for vulnerable children because some in our country have chosen to exploit the new technologies to commit crimes. According to the NCMEC, criminals are increasingly using computer telecommunications technology as a means to assist in the sexual victimization of young children and teenagers. To combat this growing problem of the use of computers and the Internet to sexually exploit and abuse children, I introduced the Child Exploitation Sentencing Enhancement Act of 1997 last June. The amendment adopted by the Senate today incorporates that bill--S. 900-- which was also co-sponsored by my friend from Ohio, Senator DeWine. Mr. President, the same marvelous advances in computer and telecommunications technology that allow our children to reach out to new sources of knowledge and cultural experiences are also leaving them unwittingly vulnerable to exploitation and harm by pedophiles and other sexual predators in ways never before possible.”