A proposal from a Florida Democrat and a Pennsylvania Republican to crack down on stalkers targeting minors is gaining steam on Capitol Hill.
Last week, U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn., and U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., teamed up last week to bring out the “Combat Online Predators Act,” a bill increasing criminal penalties on stalkers going after minors including those that take part in cyberstalking. Their bill also mandates the U.S. Justice Department study federal, state and local laws targeting stalkers and reviewing the best practices to share with law enforcement agencies across the nation.
Despite being unveiled last week, the bill is already gaining traction as the U.S. House Judiciary Committee passed it without opposition.
Fitzpatrick, a former federal prosecutor and FBI agent, weighed in on why the bill was needed after the committee passed it.
“We must do everything we can to forcefully respond to egregious instances of stalking and cyberstalking, especially when committed against minors – the most vulnerable among us,” Fitzpatrick said. “The Combat Online Predators Act ensures that, not only are we increasing penalties for these crimes, but also requiring federal law enforcement officials to constantly evaluate and update practices to combat this digital harassment. There is still work to be done at the state level, but today’s passage shows we are serious about making these needed changes at the national level.”
“As parents, we would do anything to keep our children safe, whether they’re in the school yard or on the Internet,” said Murphy. “This bill will send a clear message that we will not tolerate anyone who stalks or preys on minors. I’m proud that we’ve advanced bipartisan legislation to increase the maximum criminal penalty for this heinous crime and help provide some peace of mind to families across the country.”
This is not the first time Fitzpatrick and Murphy have teamed up to craft legislation. Earlier this year, Fitzpatrick brought out the “Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series Act” to fund Joint Counterterrorism Awareness Workshop Series (JCTAWS) that are held by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Counterterrorism Center, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Murphy and U.S. Rep. Dan Donovan, R-NY, were original co-sponsors. U.S. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-NY, later joined as co-sponsors. The House passed the bill on a 398-4 vote back in September with four Republicans--U.S. Reps. Justin Amash of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Thomas Massie of Kentucky--voting against it.
