Georgia Lawmaker Proposes Porn Ban on Military Bases

WASHINGTON — Rep. Paul Broun, R-Ga., has introduced a bill to prohibit the sale of "sexually explicit" material on military installations.

"Our troops should not see their honor sullied so that the moguls behind magazines like Playboy and Penthouse can profit," Broun said in a statement.

Broun's bill is entitled "The Military Honor and Decency Act." He said it is needed to close a loophole in current law that allows the sale and rental of sexually explicit material on military bases both inside U.S. borders and abroad.

"Allowing the sale of pornography on military bases has harmed military men and women by escalating the number of violent, sexual crimes; feeding a base addiction; eroding the family as the primary building block of society; and denigrating the moral standing of our troops both hear and abroad," said Broun, a physician and former Marine reservist.

His bill defines "sexually explicit material" to include:

— "an audio recording, a film or video recording or a print publication with visual depictions, produced in any medium, a principal theme of which depicts or describes nudity or sexual or excretory activities in a lascivious way."

— and any print periodical that "regularly features or give prominence to nudity or sexual or excretory activities."

On his congressional Web site, Broun says he has a four-way test that he applies to every piece of legislation that comes before the House for a vote.

One, "is it moral/right?" Two, "is it constitutional?" Three, "is it necessary?" and Four, "is it affordable?"

His bill would require the Department of Defense to review material not now deemed sexually explicit under the "National Defense Authorization Act of 1997" to see if it should be banned from sale on military installations.