DOJ-OGR-00021696.jpg
Extracted Text (OCR)
Case 22-1426, Document 79, 06/29/2023, 3536060, Page49 of 93
36
“Congress evinced a clear intent to extend” the limita-
tions period).
Maxwell notes that Congress “considered—and re-
jected—a retroactivity clause” before enacting the
2003 amendment. (Br.55). But as Judge Nathan recog-
nized, “the legislative history makes clear that Con-
gress abandoned the retroactivity provision ... be-
cause it would have produced unconstitutional re-
sults.” (A.152 (discussing co-sponsor remarks express-
ing concern that “the proposed retroactivity provision
was ‘of doubtful constitutionality because it ‘would
have revived the government’s authority to prosecute
crimes that were previously time-barred’”)).9 Thus,
the rejection of the retroactivity clause “shows only
that Congress intended to limit the PROTECT Act to
its constitutional applications, including past conduct
—like Maxwell’s—on which the statute of limitations
had not yet expired.” (/d.).
9 Maxwell contests this explanation of the retro-
activity clause’s rejection because Stogner v. Califor-
nia, 5389 U.S. 607 (2003), had not yet been decided.
(Br.56-57). But the co-sponsor could hardly have been
clearer in expressing his constitutional doubts. And
the co-sponsor did not need Stogner as a basis for his
concern, as courts and Congress have long recognized
the distinction between permissible extensions of un-
expired statutes of limitations and impermissible ex-
tensions of expired statutes of limitations. Stogner,
5389 U.S. at 616-18.
DOJ-OGR-00021696
Extracted Information
Dates
Document Details
| Filename | DOJ-OGR-00021696.jpg |
| File Size | 623.5 KB |
| OCR Confidence | 93.9% |
| Has Readable Text | Yes |
| Text Length | 1,530 characters |
| Indexed | 2026-02-03 20:16:08.207286 |