| Washington, D.C.-Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) announced the passage of the Child Sex Crimes Wiretapping Act, H.R. 1877. Kildee is a cosponsor of this legislation, which authorizes the interception of wire, oral or electronic communication in the investigation of sexual crimes against children. As a freshman member of U.S. House of Representatives, Kildee was the author of the first anti-child pornography bill, which made it a federal crime to produce, sell and distribute child pornography.
“When I first started this crusade against child pornography, we were only dealing with printed materials, films and videos sold in stores across the country. Now, pedophiles are taking advantage of the Internet because it provides them with infinite opportunities to solicit and coerce unsuspecting children,” said Kildee. “We must take immediate action to give federal agents all the tools necessary to detect, arrest and convict these sexual predators before they prey on our innocent youth,” said Kildee.
The Child Sex Crimes Wiretapping Act will give federal law enforcement agents the power to track down sexual predators, targeting those who peddle child pornography and engage in illegal sexual activity with a minor. Currently, the law limits federal wiretapping of suspected child sex offenders to those individual who actually possess child pornographic materials. Unfortunately, the law does not give federal agents the authority to wiretap the phone line of those they suspect of enticing or coercing a child into an illegal sexual relationship. H.R. 1877 will expand the scope of current wiretapping laws, but would still require a judge to approve the wiretaps.
As a legislator and former educator, Congressman Kildee has spent his life educating and protecting vulnerable children from sexual predators. Shortly after being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, Kildee introduced a bill that was signed into law, which made child pornography a federal crime. Unfortunately, sexual predators are now using the Internet to solicit and coerce children into prostitution or other illegal sexual activities. Once again, Kildee has joined the effort to detect and effectively deter pedophiles from preying on our children. In addition to H.R. 1877, Kildee has also cosponsored the Cybermolesters Enforcement Act during the 107th Congress. |
![[News from Congressman Dale Kildee]](letterhead.gif)