Chairman Joe Barton

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Joe Barton, Chairman
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Barton: Child Exploitation Lurking In 'Dark Corners of the Internet'

'I've Never Been More Revolted'

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, delivered the following statement today as part of an Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing entitled, "Sexual Exploitation of Children Over the Internet: What Parents, Kids and Congress Need to Know About Child Predators":

"Thank you Mr. Whitfield for holding this hearing.

"I have three grown children, two teen-age stepchildren, three grandchildren and an infant son who is seven months old. Of all the hearings that we've done, and all the years I've been on this committee and this subcommittee, which is over 20 years, I've never been more revolted in preparing for a hearing than in reading the materials that I've had to read for this one.

"My mind simply cannot conceive of parents exploiting their own children for sexual purposes for profit. And I cannot conceive of anybody in this universe wanting to perform, or watch performed, a sexual act on an infant. I simply can't comprehend that.

"Yet that's what we're here today to investigate. Child pornography is apparently a multibillion, my staff analysis says $20 billion-a-year business. Twenty billion dollars. And in spite of all the rhetoric, we're basically... I won't say we're doing nothing, that's not fair to our law enforcement agencies and all the groups here that are trying to help. But we're doing very little to counteract it and everybody agrees that it's growing.

"What kind of society do we have if we can't protect infants from sexual exploitation? One of the witnesses' material shows that almost half of the incidents of sexual exploitation of children are by family members. What kind of family is that?

"I just don't understand it. This is one where you can expect the subcommittee and the full committee, if we need to, to do everything possible. And I mean everything, not just hold hearings. If we need legislation, if we need to go to federal law enforcement agencies that have tended to not treat this as seriously as they should, whatever we need to do on a bipartisan basis, we're going to do. I think I'm a tolerant person and I'm not a prude, but I am appalled, I mean absolutely appalled, at what's going on in the Internet with regards to sexual exploitation of children of the United States, and also children of the world.

"I'm very appreciative of the staff's work on both sides of the aisle and I'm very appreciative of Mr. Stupak's and Mr. Whitfield's personal involvement. I am very supportive of doing whatever we can to really turn the tide on this. With that Mr. Chairman, I ask that my formal statement be considered in the record and I yield back my time."

Chairman Barton's Statement for the Record

"Thank you, Chairman Whitfield for holding this hearing on the sexual exploitation of children over the Internet. As Justice Brandeis wrote, 'sunlight is said to be the best disinfectant.' If there was ever a case for sunlight and disinfecting, it is the toxic world of online child pornography.

"Child porn is a $20 billion a year business and it is growing daily on the Internet. The more you know about it, the more revolted you become.

"There are accounts of children - some as young as 18 months old- being raped on camera for profit. Less than a month ago, based on an investigation by agents from United States Immigration and Custom Enforcement and international law enforcement, 27 people in the United States and abroad were charged with trafficking in pornography. Among their alleged crimes were the production of live, pay-per-view molestations of children which were carried over the Internet by streaming video.

"These are actions so repugnant that they are difficult for the mind to even acknowledge, much less grasp and consider.

"With the ability to post and trade images anonymously over the Internet, current estimates indicate that there are three million images of child pornography on the Internet today. While law enforcement is working to tackle this epidemic of abuse, their resources are taxed as an endless supply of child pornography is pumped into the Internet by individuals around the globe.

"No one wants to believe that predators abuse and torture children and sell or swap the pictures of that abuse. We do not like to think that even though our children have been warned by about strangers, children are still logging onto the Internet and meeting strangers, child predators and pedophiles. But according to one estimate, one in five children report that they have received a sexual solicitation over the Internet.

"It is because this problem is so horrific that we need to know more about it. Our nation's parents, children and educators need to know exactly what dangers are lurking on the Internet. They need to appreciate how serious this problem is so that they can prepare their children for what - or who - is waiting for them online.

"One of our witnesses today, Justin Berry, will speak personally to the horrors of child sexual exploitation on the Internet and its impact on its victims. Justin's life is a terrible lesson to every parent and child in America. It began when Justin went online to meet and communicate with other children his age. Instead, he was greeted almost immediately by child predators who, by pretending to be his friends, convinced him to engage in sexual acts. First it was through a webcam, and then it was in person. Again, at the encouragement of these predators, Justin turned these performances into an online pornography business. Justin, I want to thank you for appearing here today to tell your story. I know it must be painful to talk about your involvement in the pornography industry and the abuse you suffered. I hope that your story might prevent others from following your path or convince a victim to seek help.

"With Justin today is New York Times reporter Kurt Eichenwald, who, when researching an story on cyber fraud, found Justin's Web sites and eventually persuaded Justin to seek help. Justin credits Mr. Eichenwald as being the person who rescued him from the world of child pornography.

"Today's testimony will shine a bright light on a business that has flourished in the dark corners of the Internet. I hope that what the public learns today will help children to recognize a child predator if they meet one online. Finally, by speaking frankly about the impact of child pornography on its victims, this hearing will make plain that parents, educators, law enforcement and lawmakers must make every effort to protect our children and put an end to an industry that profits from the abuse and degradation of children.

"I look forward to hearing from the witnesses and yield back the balance of my time."

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