House and Senate Bills Would Provide Funding to Better Protect Our Nation's Children Against Sex Crimes

Senate Bill 1738 House Bill 3845

The news stories about the June, 2008 abduction and murder of 12-year-old Brooke Bennett of Vermont has brought much attention to a new House of Representatives and Senate Bill. House Bill 3845 and Senate Bill 1738 would provide more than $1 Billion between 2009 and 2016 for programs to protect against the exploitation of children and the prosecution of their offenders. The price tag on this program sounds very high, but in light of the numbers of children who are being set-up and lured by online predators, we have little choice in the matter. Can we put a price tag on the safety and well-being of this nation's children? I think not. In the case of Brooke Bennett, it turned out that her uncle was the offender. However, he used the Internet as a tool and a place to attempt to cover his identity as he repeatedly lied to Brooke and set her up for abuse and her eventual death. It was later learned that Brooke was not his only victim. According to information provided by PROTECT there is a huge amount of evidence that would lead police to the discovery of even more children who have been caught up in this type of internet ring by online sexual perpetrators.

Stalled In The Senate

The Senate Bill 2237 called "The Cyber Security Act" is the same Bill as S 1738 and is currently held up in committee. The last action on this Bill was on May 15, 2008 where the Bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Sub-Committee on Crime and Drugs.

I fully understand that the wheels that turn, turn slowly, especially legal and political wheels. But as these wheels turn ever so slowly, more and more of our nation's children are being preyed upon via the Internet and lured into the hands of international sex rings, local sexual predators, and even close family members who choose to hide within the anonymity of the Internet.

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