[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         KIDS ONLINE SAFETY ACT

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           CHILDREN AND TEENS' ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I come here today to speak on the 
continued bipartisan efforts to protect our kids from the risks of 
social media and other online platforms.
  Three weeks ago, I spoke here on the floor with my good friend and 
colleague Senator Blumenthal about the need to get two bills done: The 
Kids Online Safety Act and the Children and Teens' Online Privacy 
Protection Act.
  Moving on KOSA and COPPA is a top priority of mine. I have listened 
to so many parents whose kids have been gravely harmed by social media. 
Some of these kids face bullying or were victims of exploitation and 
online predators or saw their mental health suffer. And in horrible 
stories that I have heard on many occasions, in too many instances, the 
kids took their own lives. Imagine, 13, 14, 15 years old, killing 
themselves because of what they saw online. And imagine the families 
who live with the hole in their heart for the rest of their lives. It 
is horrible. We shouldn't allow it to happen any longer.
  So getting these bills done is very important for the well-being of 
our kids, but it will require bipartisan cooperation to move forward, 
as so many things in the Senate do. As all know, there has been a lot 
of discussion about the best way to proceed.
  I said at the end of June I would give all objectors 2 weeks to offer 
solutions for addressing their concerns. Sadly, a few of our colleagues 
continue to block these bills without offering any constructive ideas 
for how to revise the text. So now we must look ahead, and all options 
are on the table.

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