Rep. Brown-Waite Introduces Legislation to Reauthorize the Jessica Lunsford Act

Press Release

Rep. Brown-Waite Introduces Legislation to Reauthorize the Jessica Lunsford Act

U.S. Representative Ginny Brown-Waite (FL-05) today announced that she has introduced legislation, H.R. 5760, reauthorizing expiring provisions of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, including the sections of the bill named for Jessica Lunsford. Following the kidnapping and murder of Jessica Lunsford from her home in Citrus County in 2005, Rep. Brown-Waite successfully included several provisions dealing with monitoring of sexual offenders in comprehensive legislation dealing with children's safety. The legislation introduced yesterday would extend six provisions that expire in 2009 through 2011, and would also extend a grant program from 2009 till 2011. A copy of the introduced legislation is attached to this release.

"When Jessica Lunsford was abducted and killed by a convicted sex offender, the entire nation was thrust front and center into the debate of how best to protect our children from those who would prey on the most innocent in our society," said Rep. Brown-Waite. "Since little Jessie was taken from us in 2005, I have worked closely with her father, Mark Lunsford, to do everything in my power to see that federal sex offender laws are strengthened. It is truly an honor to introduce this legislation that extends the provisions of the Jessica Lunsford Act until 2011, knowing that children throughout the nation will have better protection from deviant sexual predators."

A driving force behind the successful implementation of comprehensive sex offender legislation, Rep. Brown-Waite has once again taken the lead to continue the successful programs in the Adam Walsh Act before they expire in 2009. H.R. 5760 was introduced with four original co-sponsors, Reps. Ted Poe (R-TX), Nick Lampson (D-TX), Steve Chabot (R-OH), and the former Chairman of the Judiciary Committee when the Adam Walsh bill became law, James Sensenbrenner (R-WI).

"Throughout my career I have worked to protect the innocent and the weak from predators, whether it is an abusive spouse or a sexual predator," continued Rep. Brown-Waite. "Before I was elected to the House, I helped found the Dawn Center for victims of domestic violence. In Congress, I successfully got the provisions of the Jessica Lunsford Act signed into law, preserving Jessie's memory and helping protect millions of American children. With several of the most important provisions expiring in 2009, it is vital that we build grassroots support for reauthorization and get this important law extended for another two years."

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