U.S. Rep. Nick J. Rahall (D-WV) took action this week to protect West Virginia children by supporting amendments to the Science-State-Justice-Commerce Appropriation bill that would crack down on adults using the Internet to prey on children and provide services to children who have been victims of domestic and sexual violence.

The amendments Rahall supported include DeGette Amendment, which would increase the funding of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force by $5 million. The ICAC Task Force Program was created to help State and local law enforcement agencies enhance their investigative response to offenders who use the Internet, online communication systems, or other computer technology to sexually exploit children. The program is currently composed of 45 regional Task Force agencies. The West Virginia State Police recently opened an Internet Crimes Against Children unit in West Virginia, the first such unit in the State, which is part of the national program.

"Internet predators are perhaps the hardest kind to catch because they operate under a veil of anonymity, in a cyber-world that we are still working to analyze and understand," Rahall said. "These funds will go a long way toward arming our state unit and other units nationwide with the tools they need to rise to this new challenge to protect our children."

Rahall also supported the Inslee Amendment, which includes $5 million for grants to assist children and youth exposed to violence, and $5 million to advocate for and respond to youth.

"In a perfect world, these funds would not be necessary, but the sad truth of the matter is that each year, 10 million children are exposed to domestic violence, and that these children are more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs and alcohol, run away from home, and become victims and perpetrators of violence in their own relationships," Rahall said. "These intervention programs will help curb this cycle of violence."

Both amendments were included in the Science-State-Justice-Commerce Appropriation bill, which was passed by the House Thursday by a vote of 393 to 23.