25 years ago this week 6 year old Adam Walsh was abducted and killed. Today his photo appeared on the house floor as congress passed the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act that creates a national on-line registry for sex offenders.
Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R) Wisconsin states "This legislation would make it crystal clear to offenders: you'd better register, you'd better keep the information current, or you're going to jail."
The bill also aims to stop repeat offenders by keeping them locked up longer. People like John Couey, accused in the abduction, rape, and murder of Jessica Lunsford in Florida last year. He'd been convicted in an earlier case involving a teenage girl, but got out of prison early.
The Adam Walsh Bill would impose mandatory minimum sentences for a number of sex offenses.
Ernie Allen, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says, "It sends a message that this is not acceptable, and we as a nation are going to do something about it."
It also cracks down on sex offenders who cross state lines. But opponents are concerned that could put teenagers who have consensual sex behind bars for 10 years.
Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Virginia said, "Under the provisions of this bill, prom season in the Maryland-DC-Virginia area could have nightmarish consequences."
The bill also forces molesters to give a DNA sample provides money to track sex offenders using GPS technology and creates a 20-year sentence for selling date rape drugs on-line or using misleading words to lure children to harmful web sites.
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