Washington in 5 Minutes

CONGRESS

Lawmakers pass child porn bills

Congress is sending President Bush several bills that would tighten laws on child pornographers’ use of the Internet.

The House on Friday passed a measure by 418-0 clarifying that images obtained over the Internet are subject to federal interstate commerce laws. The bill was in response to a federal court ruling that prosecutors must show that images kept on a computer had crossed state lines.

“This legislation closes the jurisdictional loophole that allowed a guilty man to escape punishment,” said Rep. Nancy Boyda, Kansas Democrat, the bill’s sponsor.

The same legislation contained another bill sponsored by Rep. Christopher Carney, Pennsylvania Democrat, that would allow prosecutors to include money laundering as a tool in child pornography cases. That would fix another loophole that has allowed Internet users to evade child pornography laws by not downloading or saving the images.

CONGRESS

House backs pardon for boxing champ

The first black heavyweight champion should be granted a presidential pardon for a conviction 75 years ago that blemished his reputation and hurt his boxing career, the House recommended Friday.

Jack Johnson became world heavyweight champion in 1908, sparking a search for a white boxer, dubbed “the Great White Hope,” who could beat him.

In 1913, Johnson was convicted of violating the Mann Act which outlawed the transportation of women across state lines for immoral purposes. Authorities had first unsuccessfully tried to charge Johnson over his relationship with a white woman who later became his wife. They then found another white woman who testified that Johnson had transported her across state lines in violation of the Mann Act.

Johnson fled the country, returning in 1920 after having lost the title to serve nearly one year at Leavenworth.

The measure now goes to the Senate, where Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain has a companion resolution.

VOTING

Judge says ‘GOP‘ is fine on ballot

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