[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 29 (Tuesday, March 9, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H878]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          RESPONSIBILITY WEEK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of 
January 20, 2004, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay) is recognized 
during morning hour debates.
  Mr. DeLAY. Mr. Speaker, this week the House will take up two bills 
that, in addition to strengthening our economy and improving the 
quality of American family life, will send a very real message of 
accountability to two industries not lately known for it.
  Opponents of the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act and 
the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act may dismiss them as meaningless 
symbols, but American families know better.
  The American families know that the raw greed that fuels both abusive 
lawsuits and vulgar broadcast programming has punctured the boundaries 
of reasonable tolerance. People have tired of hearing about yet another 
loopy scam cooked up by predatory trial lawyers to sue some 
unsuspecting company for some imaginary offense; and at the same time, 
people have grown weary of the junk that comes across our television 
screens.
  For years we have chastised Hollywood, cajoled Hollywood, and begged 
Hollywood to shape up. Yet in both cases, the entertainment industry 
and trial lawyers, either out of arrogance or ignorance or both, have 
chosen to ignore these pleas.
  Mr. Speaker, this week the House will send a very clear signal to one 
and all: enough is enough. Predatory lawsuits undermine our economy; 
offensive television programming undermines the moral imagination of 
our children; and both undermine the fundamental human value of 
personal responsibility.
  Lawyers and broadcasters may not care about their moral 
responsibilities, Mr. Speaker; but under these bills, if they do not at 
least start to fake it, they are going to pay.
  Under the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act, Congress 
will declare, as if we should have to, that restaurants are not 
responsible for the tummy aches that their customers suffer when they 
eat too much.
  Under the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act, television broadcasters 
who have thumbed their noses at the FEC's maximum obscenity fine of 
$27,500 per offense will soon have to reassess the actions of their 
respective thumbs and noses in the face of maximum fines of $500,000 
per offense.
  So after years of trying the American people's patience, predatory 
trial lawyers and irresponsible broadcasters are going to be held 
accountable for their actions. It is Responsibility Week here in the 
House, Mr. Speaker; and thankfully for the viewers at home watching C-
SPAN, there will not be a half-time show.

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