Immediate Repeal Of Communications Decency Act Called For

June 13, 1996

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, at an Executive Business meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) called upon the Committee to consider repeal of the unconstitutional Communications Decency Act at next week's meeting.

Senator Leahy said, "We should not waste any more time. Let's get the unconstitutional Internet censorship provisions off the books. The court was absolutely right when it found this law plainly unconstitutional on its face."

"It is unfathomable to me that the Supreme Court would decide this case any differently than the three-judge panel that has been studying this law since February. The Justice Department is just spinning its wheels by continuing to defend this law. Instead of taking up the time of the Supreme Court, the Judiciary Committee should do its job, uphold the Constitution, and get down to the business of repealing this law."

The day after the CDA was signed into law, Senators Leahy and Feingold introduced legislation (S.1567) to repeal its Internet censorship provisions for violating the First Amendment. Yesterday, a panel of three federal judges unanimously declared this law unconstitutional in a 175-page opinion.