Sen. Mikulski Backs Cyber Stimulus
The economic stimulus package expected to come before the Senate next week could include $50 million for grants to state and local law enforcement agencies to bolster efforts to fight Internet child exploitation, CongressDaily reported Thursday. The language was championed by Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., who chairs the Senate Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee. She was integral in an effort last Congress to pass legislation that would ratchet up funding for Justice Department-sponsored Internet Crimes Against Children task forces. Overall, the House and Senate stimulus bills contain close to $4 billion in law enforcement funding.
Republicans have questioned the size and scope of the spending plan but Mikulski said in an e-mail that her provision would create jobs while keeping kids safe from predators. "I'm hard pressed to think of twin goals more worthy than that," she said. A spokesman for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said his boss will work with House Appropriations Chairman David Obey and other appropriators on the best approach to protect children's safety. Parents' groups have asked Wasserman Schultz to push hard for the funding when the House and Senate stimulus bills go to conference.
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