A three-judge panel in Philadelphia has recently issued a ruling that strikes down two sections of the Children's Internet Protection Act signed into law by President Clinton in 2000. We must protect our children from pornography on the Internet. For this reason I have joined 35 Members of Congress in writing Attorney General John Ashcroft to urge him to appeal this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The order by the Philadelphia court is based on a flawed interpretation of the law. The shortcomings of Internet filtering technology serve as the basis for their judgment rather than the constitutionality of the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). The law is very clear that a library or community can use whatever mechanism it desires (Internet filters or otherwise) to protect children from pornographic, obscene, and harmful material. In addition, it clearly allows for adults in public libraries to have access to any legal content on the Internet. However, the court chose to ignore these crucial facts.

We must do whatever we can within the bounds of the Constitution to protect our nation's children from pornography, pedophiles and sexual predators. CIPA should be restored.