[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15098-15099]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                  1615
                  STUDENT INTERNET SAFETY ACT OF 2009

  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 780) to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 to promote the safe use of the Internet by students, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 780

       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 ``Student Internet Safety Act 
     of 2009''.

     SEC. 2. PROMOTING THE SAFE USE OF THE INTERNET BY STUDENTS.

        Each local educational agency that receives funds under 
     part D of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
     Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6751 et seq.) or part A of title IV of 
     such Act (20 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.) may use such funds to 
     develop and implement programs that promote the safe use of 
     the Internet by students, such as programs that--
       (1) educate students about appropriate online behavior, 
     including interacting with individuals on social networking 
     Web sites and in chat rooms;
       (2) protect students against online predators, 
     cyberbullying, or unwanted exposure to inappropriate 
     material; or
       (3) promote involvement by parents in the use of the 
     Internet by their children.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from the 
Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan) and the gentlewoman from 
Washington (Mrs. McMorris Rodgers) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H.R. 
780 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from the Northern Mariana Islands?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Student Internet Safety 
Act of 2009. In a world where we rely on the Internet for a variety of 
purposes, including education, we need to ensure that today's youth are 
taught how to safely navigate the World Wide Web.
  Recent research shows that 93 percent of all children between the 
ages of 12 and 17 are online. Additionally, the average child between 
the ages of 2 and 11 years old views more online video than his or her 
parents. Clearly, it is time that we ensure children are taught 
healthy, safe and smart ways to utilize their time online.
  Too often our news is filled with stories of students falling victim 
to cyberbullying, cyberstalking, and other forms of online harassment. 
With students' use of online social networking sites growing at a very 
rapid pace and an abundance of material inappropriate for children on 
the Internet, these threats show no sign of decreasing. We must begin 
taking steps to provide our children with guidance and instructions on 
how to be safe in an increasingly digital world. By promoting programs 
that educate children on Internet safety and increased parental 
involvement, the Student Internet Safety Act will help us begin to stem 
the tide of these alarming threats to today's youth.
  When navigated safely and correctly, the Internet can provide 
students with a remarkable resource to get help with homework, do 
research for school projects, virtually tour historical sites, explore 
special interests, and share information with peers around the world. 
Mr. Speaker, it is our responsibility to make sure children are 
protected from and educated about the numerous online threats in order 
to maximize the priceless opportunities to advance learning that the 
digital world provides.
  According to a Microsoft survey of parents, at least 56 percent of 
children access the Internet from school for a variety of purposes. 
This number will increase as we move forward. This legislation is a 
vital step towards promoting the safe use of the Internet by students.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Putnam of Florida for introducing 
this legislation, and I once again express my support for this 
legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 780, the Student 
Internet Safety Act of 2009, which was introduced by my friend and 
colleague, Representative Adam Putnam.
  This bill will allow local education agencies that receive Federal 
funds under the Safe and Drug Free Schools State Grants program and the 
Education Technology State Grants program to spend those dollars on 
developing and implementing programs that promote the safe use of the 
Internet by students. This important bill would

[[Page 15099]]

allow school districts to use Federal funds to educate their students 
about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with 
individuals on social networking Web sites and in chat rooms. They 
could also use the funds to protect students against online predators, 
cyberbullying, or unwanted exposure to inappropriate materials, or 
promote involvement by parents in the use of the Internet by their 
children.
  The Internet is a technological advancement that can be extremely 
useful for students, educators, and parents. Today, almost every public 
school in the United States has Internet access, and 79 percent of high 
school students use the Internet on a daily basis, including looking 
for information to assist them with their school work. These statistics 
are impressive and would have been unheard of a decade ago, but they 
demonstrate the changing nature of technology in our Nation's schools.
  Today's youngest generation is the first generation to be born into a 
world proliferated by the Internet. These students use the Internet 
almost every day. From email, to social networking sites, to online 
interactive teaching forums, online encyclopedias, the Internet 
provides students and teachers with numerous tools and benefits every 
day.
  However, there are many dangers inherent with technology as well. 
Children, especially young children, are at risk of becoming victims of 
numerous Internet-related crimes, including child pornography, 
cyberstalking, predators posing as children, or even more heinous 
crimes, including murder and rape. In addition to falling victim to 
Internet-related crimes, children can be exposed to age-inappropriate 
or harmful materials while browsing the Internet or conducting research 
for homework.
  We know that the most effective way to prevent children from becoming 
victims of Internet-related crimes is to educate them as to how to 
avoid dangerous situations. There are several Internet sites and 
software programs that advise parents on how to talk about the subject 
with their children: what the dangers are, how to teach children to 
avoid them, and how best to monitor their children's Internet 
activities at home and at school. And public schools that receive funds 
under the Educational Technology State Grant programs are required to 
have Internet filtering software that limits what sites children can 
access from school computers.
  However, many schools struggle to provide some form of Internet 
safety education or purchase this important software which would 
protect students against Internet crimes. It is clear that while much 
is being done, much more is required of us as the use of technology 
continues to expand.
  H.R. 780, the Student Internet Safety Act, will ensure that schools 
and school districts provide students with the tools they need to use 
the Internet in a safe and secure manner to further their education. In 
today's world of Internet technology and global communication, a 
child's safety must be our number one priority.
  I want to thank my colleague, Mr. Putnam, for introducing this 
important piece of legislation. I am proud to rise in support of it and 
ask my colleagues to support this bill that will promote the safe use 
of the Internet by students.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no additional requests for time. I urge my 
colleagues to support the legislation and yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that the gentlewoman 
from Washington, I recognize her very fine eloquent statements about 
the Student Internet Safety Act of 2009. I urge my colleagues to 
support the passage of this act.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join my colleagues 
in supporting the ``Student Internet Safety Act of 2009'' (H.R. 780). 
H.R. 780 amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to 
allow local educational agencies that receive Title II (teacher grants) 
funds and Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities funds, to develop 
and implement programs promoting safe Internet use by students (i.e. 
how to prevent online stalking and promoting parental involvement).
  My colleague from Florida, Representative Adam Putnam is the author 
of H.R. 780. I commend Representative Putnam in crafting thoughtful and 
much needed legislation to provide schools with the ability to teach 
children about the potential dangers associated with the Internet. 
Congressman Putnam said that ``We teach our children how to look both 
ways before crossing the street; we also need to teach them the safety 
rules for the `information superhighway.''' I could not agree more and 
that is why I was pleased that the House Leadership scheduled a vote on 
H.R. 780.
  I have been a champion for parental rights and for the protection of 
children from violent and sexually explicit material for decades. I was 
one of the leading proponents of the ``Parental Choice in Television 
Act'' and the ``Children's Protection from Violent Programming Act'' 
which lead to the enactment of the V-chip provision of the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996, (Public Law 104-104). Because of those 
efforts, today the V-chip is in practically every television in America 
and it has proven to be a very successful tool, in conjunction with the 
television rating system, for parents who want to protect their kids 
from violent or sexually explicit material on television.
  Today, however, the problem is not television but the Internet and 
that is why H.R. 780 is so important. It will provide another avenue 
for children to learn about Internet safety. There are things parents 
can do to help to keep their kids safe on the Internet. For example the 
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children recommends that:
  Parents choose search engines carefully. Some are specifically 
designed for kids, and others offer kid-safe options.
  Parents tell kids when they come across any material making them feel 
scared, uncomfortable, or confused to immediately tell them or another 
trusted adult.
  Parents help kids find information online. By searching the Internet 
together parents can help them find reliable sources of information and 
distinguish fact from fiction.
  Parents talk with their Internet service providers (ISPs) as many 
offer filters to prevent kids from accessing inappropriate sites. As a 
consumer parents have a right to choose an ISP with the services 
meeting their family's needs.
  There are more tips on safe Internet usage as well as tips on how 
kids can use e-mail and social networking sites safely on the National 
Center for Missing and Exploited Children's website at 
www.missingkids.com. And if a child has ever been sent inappropriate 
material by someone he or she met online or ever inadvertently 
encountered inappropriate material, a report of these types of 
incidents can be filed at www.CyberTipline.com or by calling 1-800-THE-
LOST.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Rothman of New Jersey). The question is 
on the motion offered by the gentleman from the Northern Mariana 
Islands (Mr. Sablan) that the House suspend the rules and pass the 
bill, H.R. 780, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________