F. Sensenbrenner

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4709 currently under consideration.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4709) to amend title 18, United States Code, to strengthen protections for law enforcement officers and the public by providing criminal penalties for the fraudulent acquisition or unauthorized disclosure of phone records, as amended.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, at this time I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to yield back if the gentlewoman from Texas will yield back.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4709, the Law Enforcement and Phone Privacy Protection Act of 2006. This legislation will protect the privacy of consumers' cell phone records and create new criminal penalties for the unauthorized purchase, sale or disclosure of such records. Certain unscrupulous companies operating on the Internet use deception to acquire an individual's phone records and then sell this personal information. Typically these companies employ a tactic known as ``pretexting'' to deceive the phone companies. By impersonating the actual cell phone account holder, these companies are often able to obtain significant private information about the individuals. This practice not only presents a threat to the privacy of the average consumer; the Judiciary Committee has also learned that criminals have employed these services to determine the identity of undercover law enforcement officers as well as suspected confidential informants and witnesses. Additionally, stalkers and domestic users can use such information to track a victim's location and associates. Amazingly, none of this is clearly illegal under Federal law. H.R. 4709 targets pretexting and other deceptive practices not adequately addressed by the current law and provides express protection in the criminal code for the privacy of confidential phone records information. These important new consumer protections cover the records and calling logs of cellular, land line, Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol users, and accomplish this goal on a technology neutral basis. The bill also establishes specific criminal penalties for the fraudulent acquisition or disclosure of such records without the consent of the consumer. More specifically, the bill prohibits third parties from purchasing or receiving confidential phone records information without the prior authorization of the consumer, or knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained fraudulently. It exempts use of information by any covered entity if such use would be permissible under existing laws governing the handling of such information by telecommunications carriers. This exception includes any uses by agents, contractors, or joint venture partners to receive the confidential phone records acting on behalf of the covered entity to perform any of the functions permitted under existing law. The bill also provides enhanced criminal penalties for anyone who engages in large scale operations to violate the law, or who discloses or uses fraudulently obtained confidential phone records information in furtherance of crimes of violence, including domestic violence and stalking, or to kill, injure or intimidate a witness, juror, confidential informant, or law enforcement officer. The bill under consideration today incorporates several technical and conforming changes to the text that was reported unanimously by the Judiciary Committee on March 2 this year. This bipartisan legislation is supported by the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Center For Victims of Crime, the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, and all of the major land line and mobile telephone companies. I commend the chairman of the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property, Lamar Smith, for introducing this important measure. I also want to thank Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Conyers, Congressman Goodlatte, and Congressman Scott for their contributions to this legislation. Madam Speaker, H.R. 4709 provides consumers with important new protections for the confidentiality of their calling records without compromising the legitimate lawful interests of law enforcement, emergency services and cellular telephone service providers. I urge my colleagues to support this sensible piece of legislation and hope that the Members of the other body will consider and pass this bill expeditiously. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), the author of the bill.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request. (Mr. GILLMOR asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4472) to protect children, to secure the safety of judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and their family members, to reduce and prevent gang violence, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley).

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I include at this point in the Record a section-by- section analysis of H.R. 4472. H.R. 4472--The Children's Safety and Violent Crime Reduction Act of 2005 Sec. 101. Short Title. Short Title; Table of Contents, Sec. 102. Declaration of Purpose. Sec. 111. This section sets forth the definitions for Title I of the Act. Sec. 112. This section requires each jurisdiction to maintain a jurisdiction-wide sex offender registry conforming to the requirements of this title and authorizes the Attorney General to prescribe guidelines to carry out the purposes of the title. Sec. 113. This section requires a sex offender to register, and maintain current information in each jurisdiction where the sex offender was convicted, where the sex offender resides, where the sex offender is employed and where the sex offender attends school. Sec. 114. This section specifies, at a minimum, what information the registry must include. Sec. 115. This section specifies the duration of the registration requirement. Sec. 116. This section requires a sex offender to appear in person for verification of registration information. Sec. 117. This section requires a jurisdiction official to inform the sex offender of the registration requirements. Sec. 118. This section establishes the Jessica Lunsford Verification Program which requires State officials to verify the residence of each registered sex offender. Sec. 119. This section requires the Attorney General to maintain a National Sex Offender Registry. Sec. 120. This section creates the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website. Sec. 121. This section requires each jurisdiction to make available to the public through an Internet site certain information about a sex offender. Sec. 122. This section requires an appropriate official to notify, within 5 days of a change in a sex offender's information certain agencies. Sec. 123. This section requires an appropriate official from the State or other jurisdiction to notify the Attorney General and appropriate State and local law enforcement agencies to inform them of any failure by a sex offender to comply with the registry requirements. Sec. 124. This section provides that law enforcement agencies, employees of law enforcement agencies, contractors acting at the direction of law enforcement agencies, and officials from State and other jurisdictions shall not be held criminally or civilly liable for carrying out a duty in good faith. Sec. 125. This section requires the Attorney General to develop software and make it available to States and jurisdictions to establish, maintain, publish and share sex offender registries. Sec. 126. If the Attorney General determines that a jurisdiction does not have a minimally sufficient sex offender registry program, he is required to the extent practicable, to carry out the obligations of the registry program. Sec. 127. This section requires jurisdictions to comply with the requirements of this title within 2 years of enactment. Sec. 128. This section imposes a ten percent reduction in Byrne Grant funds to any jurisdiction that fails, as determined by the Attorney General, substantially to comply with the requirements of this Act. Sec. 129. This section authorizes the Sex Offender Management Assistance Program to fund grants to jurisdictions to implement the sex offender registry requirements. Sec. 130. This section authorizes the Attorney General to create a demonstration project for the electronic monitoring of registered sex offenders. Sec. 131. This section authorizes the Attorney General to award grants to states that substantially implement electronic monitoring programs for life for certain dangerous sex offenders and for the period of court supervision for any other case. Sec. 132. This section provides NCMEC with access to Interstate Identification Index data. Sec. 133. This section provides NCMEC with limited immunity related to its CyberTipline. Sec. 134. This section requires that the Bureau of Prisons make available appropriate treatment to sex offenders who are in need of and suitable for treatment. Sec. 135. This section requires the GAO to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of using driver's license registration processes as additional registration requirements for sex offenders. Sec. 136. This section requires the Attorney General to provide technical assistance to jurisdictions to assist them in the identification and location of sex offenders relocated as a result of a major disaster. Sec. 137. For the purposes of this Act, the term ``federally recognized Indian tribe'' does not include within its purview Alaska Native groups or entities. In 1884 when Congress created the first civil government for Alaska it decided that Alaska Natives should be subject at all locations in Alaska to the same civil and criminal jurisdiction as that to which all non-Native residents of Alaska are subject. Alaska Natives today are subject at all locations in Alaska, including in communities that are ``Native villages'' for the purposes of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, to the criminal statutes of the Alaska State Legislature and are prosecuted in the Alaska State courts for violations of those statutes. For that reason, like all other sex offenders who are physically present within the State of Alaska, Alaska Native sex offenders, including offenders who reside in ``Native villages'', are required by Alaska Statute 12.63.010 et seq. to register as sex offenders with the Alaska Departments of Corrections or Public Safety or with an Alaska municipal police department, as appropriate. Sec. 138. This section authorizes the Justice Department, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Department of Homeland Security, to establish procedures to notify relevant jurisdictions about persons entering the United States who are required to register. Sec. 139. This section requires the Justice Department to study risk-based classification systems and report back to Congress within 18 months of enactment. Sec. 140. This section requires the Justice Department to study the effectiveness of restrictions on recidivism rates for sex offenders and to report back to Congress within 6 months of enactment on this issue. Sec. 151. This section creates a new federal crime for a Federal sex offender or offender crosses State lines. Sec. 152. This section authorizes the Attorney General to assist in the apprehension of sex offenders who have failed to comply with applicable registration requirements. Sec. 153. This section authorizes funding of such sums as necessary for the Attorney General to provide grants to States and other jurisdictions to apprehend sex offenders for failure to comply. Sec. 154. This section creates an enhanced criminal penalty for use of a controlled substance against a victim to facilitate the commission of a sex offense; and a new criminal offense prohibiting Internet sales of certain ``date-rape'' drugs. Sec. 155. This section repeals the predecessor sex offender registry program. Sec. 156. This section authorizes grants to train and employ personnel to help investigate and prosecute cases cleared through use of funds provided for DNA backlog elimination. Sec. 157. This section authorizes grants to law enforcement agencies to help combat sexual abuse of children, including additional personnel and related staff, computer hardware and software necessary to investigate such crimes, and apprehension of sex offenders who violate registry requirements. Sec. 158. This section requires the Justice Department to expand training efforts coordination among participating agencies to combat on-line solicitation of children by sex offenders. Sec. 159. This section amends the probation and supervised release provisions to mandate revocation when a offender commits a crime of violence or an offense to facilitate sexual contact involving a person under 18 years old. Sec. 161. This section establishes an Office on Sexual Violence and Crimes Against Children. Sec. 162. This section provides for Presidential appointment of a Director of the Office. Sec. 163. This section states the purpose is to administer the sex offender registration and notification program; administer grant programs; and to provide technical assistance, coordination and support to other governmental and nongovernmental entities. Sec. 201. This section amends the DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act to make a correction to ensure collection and use of DNA profiles from convicted offenders. Sec. 202. This section directs the Attorney General to give appropriate consideration to the need for collection and testing of DNA to stop violent predators against children. Sec. 203. This section directs the GAO to conduct a study two years after the publication of the model code on the extent to which States have implemented. Sec. 301. This section modifies the existing statute and adopts new penalties for felony crimes of violence crimes committed against children. Sec. 302. This section restricts federal habeas review of collateral sentencing claims relating to a state conviction. Sec. 303. This section establishes victim rights requirements for habeas corpus proceedings. Sec. 304. This section requires the Attorney General to study the implementation for a nationwide tracking system for persons charged or investigated for child abuse. Sec. 401. This section modifies the criminal penalties for several existing sexual offenses against children by amending the current law. Sec. 402. This section expresses a sense of Congress with respect to reversal of criminal conviction of Jan P. Helder, Jr. Sec. 403. This section authorizes a new grant program for child sex abuse prevention programs, and authorizes $10 million for fiscal years 2007 to 2011. Sec. 501. This section amends the Social Security Act to require each State to complete background checks and abuse registries relating to any foster parent or adoptive parent application, before approval of such an application, and provides access to agencies responsible for foster parent of adoptive parent placements. Sec. 502. This section authorizes the Attorney General to provide fingerprint-based background checks to child welfare agencies, private and public educational agencies, and volunteers in order to conduct background checks for prospective adoption or foster parents, private and public teachers or school employees. Sec. 503. This section amends section 2422(a) and (b) of title 18, United States Code, to increase penalties for coercion and enticement. Sec. 504. This section increases mandatory-minimum penalties for conduct relating to child prostitution ranging from a mandatory minimum of 10 years to a mandatory minimum of 30 years depending on the severity of the conduct. Sec. 505. This section amends several statutes relating to sexual abuse. Sec. 506. This section expands the list of mandatory conditions of probation and supervised release to include submission by the sex offender under supervision to searches by law enforcement and probation officers with reasonable suspicion, and to searches by probation officers in the lawful discharge of their supervision functions. Sec. 507. This section expands the federal jurisdiction nexus for kidnapping comparable to that of many other federal crimes to include travel by the offender in interstate or foreign commerce, or use of the mails or other means, facilities, or instrumentalities of interstate or foreign commerce in furtherance of the offense. Sec. 508. This section restricts the scope of the common law marital privileges by making them inapplicable in a criminal child abuse case in which the abuser or his or her spouse invokes a privilege to avoid testifying. Sec. 509. This section amends 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1153, the ``Major Crimes Act'' for Indian country cases to add felony child abuse or neglect to the predicate offenses. Sec. 510. This section authorizes civil commitment of certain sex offenders who are dangerous to others because of serious mental illness, abnormality or disorder. Sec. 511. This section authorizes grants to States to operate effective civil commitment programs for sexually dangerous programs. Sec. 512. This section amends United States Code, to impose a mandatory-minimum penalties when the offense involved trafficking of a child. Sec. 513. This section amends United States Code to increase maximum penalties for sexual abuse of wards. Sec. 514. This section authorizes the indictment of a defendant at any time for a criminal offense for child abduction and sex offenses. Sec. 515. This section makes the failure to report child abuse a Class A misdemeanor rather than a Class B misdemeanor. Sec. 601. Findings. Sec. 602. This section improves the existing record-keeping regulatory scheme by adding to the types of depictions covered to include lascivious exhibition of the genitals or pubic area of any person, and clarifying the definitions applicable to the inspection regime so that those entities that produce such materials comply with the record-keeping requirements. Sec. 603. This section adopts new record-keeping obligations on persons who produce materials depicting simulated sexual conduct. Sec. 604. This section specifies that depictions of child pornography discovered by law enforcement must be maintained within the government's or a court's control at all times. Sec. 605. This section amends the obscenity forfeiture provisions to make the procedures for obscenity forfeitures the same as they are for most other crimes. Sec. 606. This section criminalizes the production of obscenity as well as its transportation, distribution, and sale, so long as the producer has the intent to transport, distribute, or sell the material in interstate or foreign commerce. Sec. 607. This section authorizes compensation of court- appointed guardians ad litem. Sec. 701. This section requires that the Director of the United States Marshals Service consult and coordinate with the Administrative Office of the United States Courts regarding the security requirements for the judicial branch. Sec. 702. This section authorizes $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010 for hiring additional necessary personnel. Sec. 703. This section would create a new Federal criminal offense for the filing of fictitious liens against real or personal property owned by Federal judges or attorneys. Sec. 704. This section makes it a Federal crime to knowingly make available otherwise restricted personal information to be used to intimidate or facilitate the commission of a crime of violence against covered officials or family members of covered officials. Sec. 705. This section requires the Attorney General to report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees on the security of Assistant United States Attorneys. Sec. 706. This section makes it a crime punishable by fine and imprisonment of ten years to flee prosecution for the murder, or attempted murder, of a peace officer. Sec. 707. This section raises sentences for those convicted of murder, or attempted murder, and kidnapping or attempted kidnapping. Sec. 708. This section authorizes Federal judges and prosecutors to carry firearms, subject to regulations implemented by the Justice Department regarding training and use. Sec. 709. This section modifies the existing penalties for assaults against a federal law enforcement officer. Sec. 710. This section creates a new criminal offense for the killing of, attempting to kill or conspiring to kill, any public safety officer for a public agency that receives Federal funding. Sec. 711. This section raises maximum criminal penalties for violating 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1503 relating to influencing or injuring jurors or officers of judicial proceedings by killing, attempting to kill, use force or threatening to kill or harm an officer or juror. Sec. 712. This section modifies 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1512 to increase penalties for killing or attempting to kill a witness, victim, or informant to obstruct justice. Sec. 713. This section modifies 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1513 for killing or attempting to kill a witness, victim, or an informant in retaliation for their testifying or providing information to law enforcement by increasing penalties for causing bodily injury or damaging the person's property or business or livelihood, or threatening to do so. Sec. 714. This section amends 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1952 relating to interstate and foreign travel in aid of racketeering enterprise by expanding the prohibition against ``unlawful activity'' to include ``intimidation of, or retaliation against, a witness, victim, juror, or informant.'' Sec. 715. This section amends section 1513 of title 18 to clarify proper venue for prosecutions to include the district in which the official proceeding or conduct occurred. Sec. 716. This section amends 18 U.S.C. Sec. 930(e)(1) to prohibit the possession of ``a dangerous weapon'' in a Federal court facility. Sec. 717. This section modifies the Federal murder and manslaughter statutes to include new mandatory minimums. Sec. 718. This section creates a new grant program for States, units of local government, and Indian tribes to create and expand witness protection programs in order to prevent threats, intimidation and retaliation against victims of, and witnesses to, crimes. Sec. 719. This section authorizes grants to State courts to conduct threat assessments and implement recommended security changes. Sec. 720. This section authorizes a new grant program to provide States with funds to develop threat assessment databases. Sec. 721. This section amends 42 U.S.C. Sec. 13862 to authorize grants to create and expand witness protection programs to assist witnesses and victims of crime. Sec. 722. This section authorizes grants for State and local prosecutors and law enforcement agencies to provide witnesses assistance programs for young witnesses. Sec. 723. This section modifies the eligibility requirements for discretionary grants to allow State court eligibility. Sec. 801. This section revises existing section 521 of title 18, U.S.C., to prohibit gang crimes that are committed in order to further the activities of a criminal street gang. Sec. 802. This section expands existing section 1952 of title 18, U.S.C., to increase penalties and simplifies the elements of the offense. Sec. 803. This section amends criminal statutes relating to definition and penalties for carjacking, illegal gun transfers to drug traffickers or violent criminals, special sentencing provisions, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Sec. 804. This section amends existing section 1958 of title 18, U.S.C., to increase penalties for use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire and other felony crimes of violence. Sec. 805. This section amends existing section 1959(a) of title 18, U.S.C., to increase penalties and expand the prohibition on include aggravated sexual abuse. Sec. 806. This section fills a gap in existing federal law and creates a new criminal offense for violent acts committed during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Sec. 807. This section creates a new criminal offense for traveling in or causing another to travel in interstate or foreign commerce or to use any facility in interstate or foreign commerce with the intent that 2 or more murders be committed in violation of the laws of any State or the United States. Sec. 808. This section modifies the list of RICO predicates to clarify applicability of predicate offense which occur on Indian country or in any other area of exclusive Federal jurisdiction. Sec. 809. This section applies the rebuttable presumption in pre-trial release detention hearings to cases in which a defendant is charged with firearms offenses after having previously been convicted of a prior crime of violence or a serious drug offense. Sec. 810. This section amends United States Code to clarify venue in capital cases where murder, or related conduct, occurred. Sec. 811. This section extends the statute of limitations for violent crime cases from 5 years to 15 years after the offense occurred or the continuing offense was completed. Sec. 812. This section permits admission of statements of a murdered witness to be introduced against the defendant who caused a witness' unavailability and the members of the conspiracy if such actions were foreseeable to the other members of the conspiracy. Sec. 813. This section authorizes the Attorney General to charge as an adult in federal court a juvenile who is 16 years or older and commits a crime of violence. Sec. 814. This section amends title 18 to create a new enhanced criminal penalty when an illegal alien commits a crime of violence or a drug trafficking offense. Sec. 815. This section requires the Department of Homeland Security to provide to the Department of Justice information about certain immigration violators so that such information can be included in national criminal history databases. Sec. 816. This section requires the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to jointly conduct a study on illegal immigration and gang membership. Sec. 901. This section authorizes use of Byrne grants to State and local prosecutors to protect witnesses and victims of crimes; to fund new technology, equipment and training for prosecutors and law enforcement in order to increase accurate identification of gang members and violent offenders, and to facilitate coordination among law enforcement and prosecutors. Sec. 902. This section reauthorizes the Gang Resistance Education and Training Program. Sec. 903. This section authorizes the Justice Department to provide grants to establish offender reentry courts. Sec. 1001. This section authorizes a new grant program for the National Crime Prevention Council. Sec. 1002. This section requires the Justice Department to conduct a study. Sec. 1101. Short Title. Sec. 1102. This section requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, with the Justice Department, to create a national registry of substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect. Mr. Speaker, when I was first elected to the Wisconsin legislature in 1968, one of my mentors warned me against making the perfect the enemy of the good, because if the perfect ends up defeating the good, then bad will prevail. What we have heard from the opponents of this motion to suspend the rules is that the bill is a good one, but it doesn't do enough, and we ought to add this and this and this and this. But we tried that last year. We passed the core bills of three separate components of this bill, and they ended up getting stuck in the other side of the Capitol Building. Honestly, our children, our judges, and all Americans can't afford to wait any longer. The gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy), I think, summed it up perfectly, that is, that the victims and their families cannot afford to wait any longer because of parliamentary objections to this, that and everything else. Now, let us look at what this bill does. It allows a national registration of sex offenders so that we can get the over 100,000 convicted sex offenders who slipped through the registration cracks on the Internet so that people will know if they are in their neighborhood. If you defeat this bill, that is not going to happen. This bill also prevents the sale of date-rape drugs over the Internet. If you defeat this bill, that is not going to happen. The bill has a number of provisions to protect Federal judges and their families and courthouse personnel and buildings so that we don't have the tragedy that happened to Judge Lefkos in Chicago when two members of her family were murdered. You defeat this bill, our judges are going to be vulnerable. Practically every community of over a quarter of a million in this country has faced the scourge of gangs. There is comprehensive gang law in this bill that will help our law enforcement get to the ringleaders of these gangs and to arrest them and throw them into jail. That is going to make all of us safer. You defeat this bill, and that is not going to happen. I want to see a law made, and those who have spoken in support of this motion to suspend the rules want to see this bill become law as quickly as possible. We have a commitment from the majority leader on the other side of the Capitol, if this bill passes today, to schedule it quickly. In the name of our children and all Americans, vote to suspend the rules. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, March 7, 2006. Hon. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, Chairman, Committee on Education and Workforce, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman McKeon: I am writing to confirm our mutual understanding regarding H.R. 4472, the ``Children's Safety and Violent Crime Reduction Act of 2005,'' which is scheduled for consideration on the House floor on Wednesday, March 8, 2006. I agree that Title XI of the manager's amendment implicates the jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and Workforce, and appreciate your willingness to forego consideration in order to facilitate floor consideration of this legislation. I agree that your decision to waive consideration of the bill should not be construed to limit the jurisdiction of the Committee on Education and Workforce over H.R. 4472 or similar legislation, or otherwise prejudice your Committee with respect to the appointment of conferees to this or similar legislation. Sincerely, F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Chairman.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Porter) for the purpose of a unanimous consent request. (Mr. PORTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. Madam Speaker, this is not giving a pill to a dog. What this legislation does is it combines three bills that the House already debated and passed but which got stalled in the other body. What it does is it takes away the poison pills that have caused the essential legislation to be stalled in the other body. And it makes some amendments, some of which have been requested by people on the other side of the aisle such as getting rid of a certain number of mandatory minimum penalties. The purpose of this exercise is to get legislation signed into law and it is important legislation on protecting children from pedophiles, protecting Americans from gangs, and protecting judges from kooks who want to try to do them and their families harm. That is why this procedure is being used today so that we can make a law. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Harris). (Ms. HARRIS asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4472, the Children's Safety and Violent Crime Reduction Act. This legislation contains bipartisan, comprehensive proposals to better protect our children from convicted sex offenders, to enhance judicial security, and to combat violent criminal gangs that terrorize our communities. Last year, the full House overwhelmingly approved three separate bills tailored to address these critical issues. H.R. 3132, the Children's Safety Act of 2005, passed the House on September 14 of last year by a vote of 371-52. H.R. 1751, the Secure Access to Justice and Courthouse Protection Act, was approved by the House on November 9, 2005, by a vote of 375-45, and H.R. 1279, the Gang Prevention and Deterrence Act, passed the House on May 11, 2005, by a vote of 279-144. H.R. 4472 incorporates core provisions of each bill with some modifications and additions. Last year our Nation was horrified by news of the sexual assault and kidnapping of Dylan and Shasta Groehne and the brutal murder of their parents and siblings. These heinous acts occurred after 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford was abducted, raped and buried alive, and 13-year-old Sarah Lunde was murdered. All of these terrible crimes were committed by convicted sex offenders. While these tragedies received the public attention and outrage they demanded, sexual predators continue to exploit current loopholes in our criminal justice system to prey on America's most vulnerable. H.R. 4472 protects America's children by making it much harder for them to do so. When child sex offenders are brought to justice and serve time for their offenses, they are often released into unsuspecting communities to resume their sexual attacks. There are over 550,000 convicted sex offenders in the country, and it is conservatively estimated that at least 100,000 of them, 100,000, are lost in the system, meaning that nonregistered sex offenders are living in our communities, attending schools and working at locations where they can prey on our children. The threat to our children grows each day as more unregistered sex offenders move freely within our midst. This bill reduces these unconscionable vulnerabilities by strengthening sex offender notification requirements. The bill also addresses the problem of violence in and around our courthouses against judges, prosecutors, witnesses, law enforcement and other court personnel, as well as their immediate families. According to the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, Federal judges receive nearly 700 threats a year, and several Federal judges require security personnel to protect them and their families from violent gangs, drug organizations and disgruntled litigants. Judges, witnesses, and courthouse personnel and law enforcement officers must operate without fear in order to enforce and administer the law without bias. Finally, the bill includes relevant provisions to address the growing national threat from violent and vicious gangs in our communities. According to the last National Youth Gang Survey, it is estimated that there are now between 750,000 and 850,000 gang members in our country. Every city in the country with a population of 250,000 or more has reported gang activity. There are over 25,000 gangs in more than 3,000 jurisdictions in the United States. In recent years gangs have become organized criminal syndicates with structured associations, many of which are now international in scope. State and local law enforcement have sent us a clear message: update and strengthen America's laws to combat the scourge of violence in our communities. H.R. 4472 is strongly supported by John Walsh of America's Most Wanted, the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and other victims and representatives of victims organizations, as well as law enforcement agencies around the country. These tireless advocates for America's children have provided vital assistance in crafting this measure, and their calls for justice for America's children must no longer go unanswered. We must act now to ensure that the tragedy of perverse and sexual attacks on America's children is not compounded by the tragedy of congressional inaction to strengthen our laws to address this national epidemic. I urge my colleagues to put aside partisan differences and to speak in a clear and united voice to protect our children, to ensure a safe judiciary, and to give America's law-abiding citizens the right to live free from gang violence. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Green).

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite).

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to my Democratic friend from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy).

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Keller).

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4472, currently under consideration.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 2271) to clarify that individuals who receive FISA orders can challenge nondisclosure requirements, that individuals who receive national security letters are not required to disclose the name of their attorney, that libraries are not wire or electronic communication service providers unless they provide specific services, and for other purposes.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, is it in order to introduce into the Record in this body debate that has been taken in the other body?

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).