Last year alone. child pornography brought traffickers $20 billion in profits as compared to only $3 billion for legitimate Internet music sales. The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on which I sit as the ranking member recently held hearings to highlight this growing threat. During the course of these hearings. members of the subcommittee had a chance to hear about the excellent work the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Cyber Crime Center is doing to combat child exploitation. Since the center was founded in 2003. less than 3 years ago. its work has resulted in arrests of over 7.500 child predators. The Cyber Crimes Center was funded at only $6 million last year. but has already been recognized as being at the forefront in fighting. in the fight against child exploitation and Internet crime. My amendment would add $5 billion to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement salaries and expenses which would be used by the Cyber Crimes Center to expand their operations. The $5 million would be offset by reduction in the Office of the Secretary. which Is funded over $95 million in the base bill. I believe that this $5 million amendment is the least we can do in the fight against a $20 billion criminal industry that preys on our children.
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