[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 116 (Monday, September 10, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  COMMENDING THE GENEROUS GIFT BY THE HALLMARK CHANNEL AND JIM HENSON 
            COMPANY TO THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KAREN McCARTHY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 10, 2001

  Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the 
Hallmark Channel in partnership with the Jim Henson Company for their 
recent gift to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Their 
generous contribution of this license will help the Commission relaunch 
a national v-chip campaign utilizing Kermit the Frog as the official 
``spokesfrog'' empowering parents with the tools they need to control 
the programming that their children view.
  The Hallmark Channel and Jim Henson Company have recognized the 
importance of the v-chip and ratings initiatives in empowering viewers 
to control what comes into their homes over their television sets. Last 
year, these companies developed an award-winning promotional campaign 
that designated the world famous and beloved figure of Kermit the Frog 
as national ``spokesfrog'' for the v-chip and television ratings 
system. This year, the Hallmark Channel and Jim Henson Company have 
gone even further by giving the FCC a license to use Kermit on the 
informational materials that it distributes. The Commission just 
completed publication of this new brochure for widespread 
dissemination.
  I am proud to have the world headquarters of Hallmark located in my 
home district in Kansas City, Missouri. The company has a long history 
of serving the metropolitan Kansas City area as well as other 
communities throughout the nation. Hallmark has repeatedly demonstrated 
its civic commitment through its Hallmark Hall of Fame television 
programs. The powerful message of these award winning programs bring 
meaningful and wholesome entertainment into our living rooms. Its 
leadership in partnering with the Salvation Army has turned the 
donation of greeting cards to a prison chaplain for distribution to 
inmates so they may stay in touch with their families into a national 
model of rehabilitation involving both the federal and state prison 
systems.
  Hallmark not only provides millions of dollars annually to 
outstanding charitable causes, it has repeatedly been recognized as one 
of the most outstanding places to work in the country. Its creative 
environment is family focused, which invites its associates to excel 
and want to come to work each day. Clearly, Hallmark is an outstanding 
national model of corporate citizenship.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me and our colleagues in the United States 
House of Representatives in commending the Hallmark Channel and Jim 
Henson Company for this generous gift to the FCC. Their ongoing efforts 
to provide the viewing public with family friendly programming choices, 
and their helping in educating the public about the v-chip and the 
ratings systems are greatly appreciated.

                          ____________________