[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 128 (Friday, October 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  SUPPORTING INTERNET SAFETY AWARENESS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                    HON. JUANITA MILLENDER-McDONALD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 10, 2000

  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Res. 575. This resolution urges Americans to recognize and support 
educational programs that make surfing the Internet safe and fun for 
children. It supports initiatives to educate parents, children, 
educators and community leaders about the enormous possibilities and 
potential dangers of the Internet, applauds the work of law enforcement 
officers to make the Internet safe for children, and urges all 
Americans to become informed about the Internet and support efforts 
that will provide Internet safety for children and for future 
generations.
  The Internet is a wonderful tool for educating our children and has 
been instrumental in driving the growth of our economy. But 
unfortunately tools can be misused. Today an estimated 10 million 
American children have unfettered access to the Internet--a 444 percent 
increase from 1995. What is alarming is that as the new millennium has 
begun more and more children will have access to the Internet and in 
turn, easy access to alcohol.
  Just before Memorial Day, I participated in a news report concerning 
ease with which our youngest constituents can obtain alcohol through 
the Internet. On the videotape I witnessed two fifteen-year-old 
children using their home computers to access the world-wide web and 
order alcohol on the net. And in a few short days this alcohol was 
delivered to their front door by a national mail carrier who did not 
ask for identification when the two fifteen-year-old children signed 
for the boxes containing wine and a bottle of Absolut. Last year, I 
testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on my concern for this 
issue because similar stories had surfaced in the news December 1997.
  Although there is a no single solution to the national epidemic of 
underage drinking, the bill that I introduced in the first session of 
the 106th Congress, H.R. 2161 would close some of the gaping loopholes 
I call ``cyberbooze for minors'' that now make it possible for teens 
and young adults to easily obtain alcohol over the Internet. H.R. 2161, 
the Prohibition Against Alcohol Traffic to Minors will curb underage 
drinking by prohibiting ``direct shipment'' of alcohol to persons under 
a State's legal drinking age.
  I want to urge my colleagues to support H. Res. 575 because it 
recognizes the powerful potential and inherent danger that the Internet 
offers our children. I hope that my colleagues will also join me in 
putting an end to easy alcohol access on the Internet by supporting 
H.R. 2161.

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