VICTORIA, TX -- Shane Sklar, Democratic candidate for Congress (TX-14), today declared his support for a new law that would require Internet companies to keep customer records for two years, preserving a key link to the criminals who create and purchase child pornography. Today, there is no industry standard for maintaining these records, and important evidence is frequently destroyed.

"Child pornography is a multi-billion dollar industry that exploits innocent children and floods the Internet with disturbing images. We are up against determined criminals, and we must give law enforcement the best tools to fight them," said Sklar. "I am confident we can preserve our civil liberties and this vital evidence at the same time."

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testified before the Senate Banking Committee yesterday that he and 49 state attorneys general are together calling for federal legislation to require longer retention of customer records.

Sklar has repeatedly called on libertarian Congressman Ron Paul to explain his votes against sensible, bi-partisan legislation to crack down on child predators and online child pornography, including the Child Obscenity and Online Pornography Prevention Act (COPPA) and the Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today (PROTECT) Act.

"Texas' Gulf Coast families deserve a Congressman who is on their side in the fight against these predators," said Sklar.