[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 159 (Wednesday, October 1, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S10199]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S10199]]
                     CHILD SAFE VIEWING ACT OF 2007

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 588, S. 602.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 602) to develop the next generation of parental 
     control technology.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and insert in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Child Safe Viewing Act of 
     2007''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Video programming has a direct impact on a child's 
     perception of safe and reasonable behavior.
       (2) Children may imitate actions they witness on video 
     programming, including language, drug use, and sexual 
     conduct.
       (3) Studies suggest that the strong appeal of video 
     programming erodes the ability of parents to develop 
     responsible attitudes and behavior in their children.
       (4) The average American child watches 4 hours of 
     television each day.
       (5) 99.9 percent of all consumer complaints logged by the 
     Federal Communications Commission in the first quarter of 
     2006 regarding radio and television broadcasting were because 
     of obscenity, indecency, and profanity.
       (6) There is a compelling government interest in empowering 
     parents to limit their children's exposure to harmful 
     television content.
       (7) Section 1 of the Communications Act of 1934 requires 
     the Federal Communications Commission to promote the safety 
     of life and property through the use of wire and radio 
     communications.
       (8) In the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress 
     authorized Parental Choice in Television Programming and the 
     V-Chip. Congress further directed action on alternative 
     blocking technology as new video technology advanced.

     SEC. 3. EXAMINATION OF ADVANCED BLOCKING TECHNOLOGIES.

       (a) Inquiry Required.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications 
     Commission shall initiate a notice of inquiry to consider 
     measures to examine--
       (1) the existence and availability of advanced blocking 
     technologies that are compatible with various communications 
     devices or platforms; and
       (2) methods of encouraging the development, deployment, and 
     use of such technology by parents that do not affect the 
     packaging or pricing of a content provider's offering.
       (b) Content of Proceeding.--In conducting the inquiry 
     required under subsection (a), the Commission shall consider 
     advanced blocking technologies that--
       (1) may be appropriate across a wide variety of 
     distribution platforms, including wired, wireless, and 
     Internet platforms;
       (2) may be appropriate across a wide variety of devices 
     capable of transmitting or receiving video or audio 
     programming, including television sets, DVD players, VCRs, 
     cable set top boxes, satellite receivers, and wireless 
     devices;
       (3) can filter language based upon information in closed 
     captioning;
       (4) operate independently of ratings pre-assigned by the 
     creator of such video or audio programming; and
       (5) may be effective in enhancing the ability of a parent 
     to protect his or her child from indecent or objectionable 
     programming, as determined by such parent.
       (c) Reporting.--Not later than 270 days after the enactment 
     of this Act, the Commission shall issue a report to Congress 
     detailing any findings resulting from the inquiry required 
     under subsection (a).
       (d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``advanced 
     blocking technologies'' means technologies that can improve 
     or enhance the ability of a parent to protect his or her 
     child from any indecent or objectionable video or audio 
     programming, as determined by such parent, that is 
     transmitted through the use of wire, wireless, or radio 
     communication.

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a Pryor 
amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to, the committee-reported 
substitute, as amended, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read a 
third time and passed; the motions to reconsider be laid upon the 
table, with no intervening action or debate, and any statements be 
printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 5684) was agreed to, as follows:

       On page 6, beginning in line 4, strike ``TECHNOLOGIES.'' 
     and insert ``TECHNOLOGIES AND EXISTING PARENTAL EMPOWERMENT 
     TOOLS.''.
       On page 6, line 12, strike ``and''.
       On page 6, line 16, strike ``offering.'' and insert 
     ``offering; and''.
       On page 6, between 16 and 17, insert the following:
       ``(3) the existence, availability, and use of parental 
     empowerment tools and initiatives already in the market.''.

  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended, 
was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 602), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                 S. 602

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Child Safe Viewing Act of 
     2007''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Video programming has a direct impact on a child's 
     perception of safe and reasonable behavior.
       (2) Children may imitate actions they witness on video 
     programming, including language, drug use, and sexual 
     conduct.
       (3) Studies suggest that the strong appeal of video 
     programming erodes the ability of parents to develop 
     responsible attitudes and behavior in their children.
       (4) The average American child watches 4 hours of 
     television each day.
       (5) 99.9 percent of all consumer complaints logged by the 
     Federal Communications Commission in the first quarter of 
     2006 regarding radio and television broadcasting were because 
     of obscenity, indecency, and profanity.
       (6) There is a compelling government interest in empowering 
     parents to limit their children's exposure to harmful 
     television content.
       (7) Section 1 of the Communications Act of 1934 requires 
     the Federal Communications Commission to promote the safety 
     of life and property through the use of wire and radio 
     communications.
       (8) In the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress 
     authorized Parental Choice in Television Programming and the 
     V-Chip. Congress further directed action on alternative 
     blocking technology as new video technology advanced.

     SEC. 3. EXAMINATION OF ADVANCED BLOCKING TECHNOLOGIES AND 
                   EXISTING PARENTAL EMPOWERMENT TOOLS.

       (a) Inquiry Required.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications 
     Commission shall initiate a notice of inquiry to consider 
     measures to examine--
       (1) the existence and availability of advanced blocking 
     technologies that are compatible with various communications 
     devices or platforms;
       (2) methods of encouraging the development, deployment, and 
     use of such technology by parents that do not affect the 
     packaging or pricing of a content provider's offering; and
       (3) the existence, availability, and use of parental 
     empowerment tools and initiatives already in the market.
       (b) Content of Proceeding.--In conducting the inquiry 
     required under subsection (a), the Commission shall consider 
     advanced blocking technologies that--
       (1) may be appropriate across a wide variety of 
     distribution platforms, including wired, wireless, and 
     Internet platforms;
       (2) may be appropriate across a wide variety of devices 
     capable of transmitting or receiving video or audio 
     programming, including television sets, DVD players, VCRs, 
     cable set top boxes, satellite receivers, and wireless 
     devices;
       (3) can filter language based upon information in closed 
     captioning;
       (4) operate independently of ratings pre-assigned by the 
     creator of such video or audio programming; and
       (5) may be effective in enhancing the ability of a parent 
     to protect his or her child from indecent or objectionable 
     programming, as determined by such parent.
       (c) Reporting.--Not later than 270 days after the enactment 
     of this Act, the Commission shall issue a report to Congress 
     detailing any findings resulting from the inquiry required 
     under subsection (a).
       (d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``advanced 
     blocking technologies'' means technologies that can improve 
     or enhance the ability of a parent to protect his or her 
     child from any indecent or objectionable video or audio 
     programming, as determined by such parent, that is 
     transmitted through the use of wire, wireless, or radio 
     communication.

                          ____________________