Jay Rockefeller: “I agree with what the Senator from the State of Washington said in argument to this amendment. Just for the edification…”

“I agree with what the Senator from the State of Washington said in argument to this amendment. Just for the edification of my colleagues--this fact has not been brought out, I do not believe, in the debate--we have removed caps, but people do not realize, I think, often that there are caps on some rather extraordinary crimes in the Federal statutes. I will give some examples. Many Federal criminal fines, even for particularly egregious crimes, do not exceed $250,000. And that was our original proposal, economic damages times three or $250,000, whichever is greater. Listen to this. If you tamper with consumer products and it results in death, the Federal statute limitation is $100,000 for punitive damages. If you retaliate against a witness, it is $250,000. If you assault the President, it is $10,000. If you rob a bank with the use of a deadly weapon, the punitive damage limit cap is $10,000. Sexual exploitation of children for an individual, $100,000; in terms of an organization--however that would work out--$200,000. For treason--for treason--$10,000.”