Number: RS21468
Title: Child Pornography: Side-by-Side Comparison of S. 151 and H.R. 1161, 108th Congress
Authors: Henry Cohen, American Law Division 
Abstract: In Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition, the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the federal child pornography statute to the extent that it prohibited material that was produced without the use of an actual child. The case held, in other words, that pornography produced without the use of a minor, whether drawn or painted, computer-generated, or produced only with adult actors, is protected by the First Amendment, even if it appears to portray a minor, unless it is obscene. In response to this decision, the Senate passed S. 151, 108th Congress, and the House will consider H.R. 1161, 108th Congress. This report compares the substantive provisions of these bills.
Pages: 6
Date: Updated March 27, 2003