-9999
Floor Speech
I want to object to the request by the Senator from South Carolina to pass the SHIELD Act by unanimous consent. But I really want to start by saying that I know we are talking about a deeply vital issue today that we must address as the U.S. Senate.
I believe that the Senator from South Carolina and I have a common goal, and we see eye to eye. Anytime a person's privacy or bodily autonomy is violated, we have a duty to address the harm that they have experienced and seek solution so that we prevent the same thing from happening to others. He and I have talked about this in the committee multiple times.
Congress must act when there are people who exploit others or harass them or set out to exact some twisted revenge on them by sharing nonconsensual images. They should be held accountable for the serious, emotional, psychological, and professional harm it can cause to victims. I believe this is what the sponsors of the SHIELD Act intend to do.
But the bill offered today stands to have unintended consequences that I have discussed in committee and that need to be addressed. Many of these issues were addressed in committee in our markup of the bill. Senator Klobuchar, who leads this bill, has been working with me to correct those problems. We are working diligently and in good faith to address these issues so that this Congress can pass a bill to vindicate the victims. When we were in committee, I spoke and asked for the opportunity to do that work, and I am hoping that we continue to have that now.
It is our obligation to get this right, and I am grateful to the Senator from Minnesota and her staff who are working with me to make sure we do so.
As in legislative session and notwithstanding rule----
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. BOOKER. Oh, thank you very much. I was doing what I was told. Forgive me.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. BOOKER. Anytime you defer to me, Senator, to give me a chance to speak to you, that is one of my higher honors in the U.S. Senate. Thank you very much.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source