Mr. Chairman, this Committee has its work cut out for it in the days and weeks ahead. This can be a very productive session if we find ways to work together.

We made some progress toward a bankruptcy reform bill through the amendment process on the Senate floor already this year. You and I are consulting with a number of interested Senators on civil asset forfeiture reform as well as a number of other important measures and hearing topics.

I will ask that my statement about the judicial vacancy situation be placed in the record, because I know that our time today is limited and our agenda is full, but this is a most important responsibility of this Committee.

Let me take just a moment to comment on the important issue of computer security in light of the hacker attacks this week on E-Trade, ZDNet, Datek, Yahoo, eBay, Amazon.com and other Internet sites. I want to work together with you and Senator DeWine and other members of the Committee to pass legislation to give law enforcement the tools they need to combat computer crime.

In the 104th Congress, Senators Kyl, Grassley and I worked together to enact the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act -- the first anti-hacker law. In this Congress, Senator DeWine and I have already introduced the Computer Crime Enforcement Act, S. 1314, to set up a $25 million grant program within the U.S. Department of Justice for states to tap for improved education, training, enforcement and prosecution of computer crimes.

I look forward to working with the you and other concerned Senators to consider this bill and other bipartisan legislation to help law enforcement keep pace with those who misuse technology and trample upon the rights of others. I am a strong proponent of the Internet, I am a defender of free speech, but destructive malicious mischief makers and digital graffiti sprayers need to respect the rights and property of others.

The Attorney General made a strong statement yesterday. I know that the investigators from our National Infrastructure Protection Center are hard at work. I want to be sure that we work not only to find those responsible for destructive acts, but do a better job building an online community that respects the rights of all. I do not want us to react reflexively in a way that does more harm than good. I want to work with the Administration and others in Congress to take a balanced and measured approach that is supportive of electronic commerce without sacrificing the online privacy rights of all Americans.