[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 484 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 484

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the major 
television networks should revive their traditional ``Family Hour'' and 
   voluntarily reserve the first hour of prime-time broadcasting for 
                      family-oriented programming.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 18, 1996

  Mr. Smith of Texas (for himself, Mr. Kennedy of Massachusetts, Mr. 
Whitfield, Mr. Greenwood, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Dornan, Mr. 
Barrett of Wisconsin, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. Canady of Florida, Mr. Bentsen, 
 Mr. Solomon, Mr. Watts of Oklahoma, Mr. Gene Green of Texas, Mr. Kim, 
  Mr. Foley, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Reed, Ms. Lofgren, Mr. Scarborough, Mr. 
 Inglis of South Carolina, Ms. Norton, Mr. Weldon of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
    Bartlett of Maryland, Mr. Jacobs, Mr. Ehrlich, Mr. Calvert, Mr. 
  Lipinski, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Cunningham, Mrs. Clayton, Mr. Portman, Mr. 
     Dickey, Mr. Hinchey, Mrs. Myrick, Mr. Weldon of Florida, Mr. 
  Nethercutt, Mrs. Kelly, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Collins of 
  Georgia, Mr. Underwood, Mrs. Lincoln, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. 
Heineman, Mr. Wamp, Mr. Smith of Michigan, Mrs. Fowler, Mr. Radanovich, 
    Mr. Spence, Mr. Souder, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. 
Chambliss, Mr. Deal of Georgia, Ms. McKinney, Mr. Poshard, Mr. LaFalce, 
  Mr. Wilson, Mr. DeLay, Mr. Stenholm, Mr. Packard, Mr. Largent, Mr. 
 Hoke, Mr. Frost, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Pomeroy, Mr. Herger, Mr. Evans, Mr. 
   Castle, Mr. English of Pennsylvania, Mr. Murtha, Mr. Wicker, Mr. 
 Knollenberg, Mr. LaHood, Ms. Rivers, Mr. Barton of Texas, Mr. Parker, 
 Mr. Stockman, Mr. Archer, Mr. Laughlin, Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas, Mr. 
  Combest, Mr. Thornberry, Mr. McCrery, Mr. Franks of New Jersey, Mr. 
Filner, Mr. Ballenger, Mr. Moran, Mr. Faleomavaega, Mr. Manzullo, Mrs. 
 Collins of Illinois, Mr. Clement, Ms. Roybal-Allard, and Mr. Longley) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                              on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the major 
television networks should revive their traditional ``Family Hour'' and 
   voluntarily reserve the first hour of prime-time broadcasting for 
                      family-oriented programming.

Whereas the national broadcast television networks once adhered to a voluntary, 
        self-enforced practice of setting aside the first hour of prime-time 
        broadcasting for programming suitable for audiences of all ages, 
        especially young children;
Whereas the national broadcast television networks have recently abandoned this 
        practice and chosen to fill this hour with programs laden with sexually 
        suggestive language and behavior and mature themes;
Whereas, according to the most recent Nielsen ratings, approximately 9,000,000 
        children between the ages of 2 and 11 watch television during an average 
        minute of the first hour prime-time broadcasting;
Whereas the clear majority of American parents are concerned about the negative 
        influence of television on younger viewers, who watch an average of 21 
        hours of television a week;
Whereas that concern was recently demonstrated again in a poll conducted by U.S. 
        News and World Report which found that 73 percent of Americans believe 
        that television contributes to the problem of teenage pregnancy, 83 
        percent believe that television contributes to casual sex, 90 percent 
        believe that television contributes to teenagers having sex too soon, 
        and 92 percent believe that television contributes to violence on our 
        streets;
Whereas the House of Representatives is comprised of elected representatives who 
        have a responsibility to give voice to the concerns of their 
        constituents; and
Whereas the House of Representatives expresses public sentiment in this 
        resolution, and does not attempt to establish by law or otherwise 
        mandate or dictate any requirements regarding the content of television 
        programming: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
the national broadcast television networks should renew their 
commitment to voluntarily reserving the first hour of prime-time 
broadcasting for programming suitable for American family members of 
all ages.
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