[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 121 (Thursday, September 16, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S11049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               FAMILY FRIENDLY PROGRAMMING ON TELEVISION

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that S. Con. Res. 56 
be discharged from the Commerce Committee, and further, that the Senate 
proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 56) expressing the 
     sense of Congress regarding the importance of ``family 
     friendly'' programming on television.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to 
the concurrent resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 56

       Whereas American children and adolescents spend between 22 
     and 28 hours each week viewing television;
       Whereas American homes have an average of 2.75 television 
     sets, and 87 percent of homes with children have more than 1 
     television set;
       Whereas there is a need to increase the availability of 
     programs suitable for the entire family during prime time 
     viewing hours;
       Whereas surveys of television content demonstrate that many 
     programs contain substantial sexual or violent content;
       Whereas although parents are ultimately responsible for 
     appropriately supervising their children's television 
     viewing, it is also important to provide positive, ``family 
     friendly'' programming that is suitable for parents and 
     children to watch together;
       Whereas efforts should be made by television networks, 
     studios, and the production community to produce more quality 
     family friendly programs and to air those programs during 
     times when parents and children are likely to be viewing 
     together;
       Whereas members of the Family Friendly Programming Forum 
     are concerned about the availability of family friendly 
     television programs during prime time viewing hours; and
       Whereas Congress encourages activities by the Forum and 
     other entities designed to promote family friendly 
     programming, including--
         (1) participating in meetings with leadership of major 
     television networks, studios, and production companies to 
     express concerns;
         (2) expressing the importance of family friendly 
     programming at industry conferences, meetings, and forums;
         (3) honoring outstanding family friendly television 
     programs with a new tribute, the Family Program Awards, to be 
     held annually in Los Angeles, California;
         (4) establishing a development fund to finance family 
     friendly scripts; and
         (5) underwriting scholarships at television studies 
     departments at institutions of higher education to encourage 
     student interest in family friendly programming: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) recognizes and honors the efforts of the Family 
     Friendly Programming Forum and other entities supporting 
     family friendly programming;
       (2) supports efforts to encourage television networks, 
     studios, and the production community to produce more quality 
     family friendly programs;
       (3) supports the proposed Family Friendly Programming 
     Awards, development fund, and scholarships, all of which are 
     designed to encourage, recognize, and celebrate creative 
     excellence in, and commitment to, family friendly 
     programming; and
       (4) encourages the media and American advertisers to 
     further a family friendly television environment within which 
     appropriate advertisements can accompany the programming.

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