Top Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 01/04/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Bill Text
A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to prevent the carriage of child pornography by video service providers, to protect children from online predators, and to restrict the sale or purchase of children's personal information in interstate commerce. 1/4/2007--Introduced. Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to issue regulations requiring video services to prevent child pornography. Amends the Crime Control Act of 1990 to triple the fines on providers of electronic communication services or remote computing services who knowingly and willfully fail to report child pornography. Requires warning labels for websites depicting sexually explicit material. Deleting Online Predators Act of 2007 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require schools and libraries that receive universal service support to enforce a policy that: (1) prohibits access to a commercial [...]

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Latest Action: 02/02/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.

Bill Text
To prohibit a convicted sex offender from obtaining approval of immigration petitions filed by the offender on behalf of family members.

1/9/2007--Introduced.

Sex Offender Visa Loophole Elimination Act of 2007 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit a convicted U.S.-citizen sex offender from filing a family-based immigration petition.

Defines "sex offense" and "specified offense against a minor."

Prohibits approval of a fiance/fiancee or waiting nonimmigrant spouse visa petition filed by a convicted sex offender.

Latest Action: 06/12/2007 - Mr. Butterfield moved to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended.

Bill Text
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Internet Safety Month.

6/12/2007--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary)

Supports the goals and ideals of recognizing National Internet Safety Month.

Recognizes that the month provides U.S. citizens an opportunity to learn more about Internet dangers and the importance of being safe and responsible online.

Commends and recognizes national and community organizations for promoting Internet danger awareness and helping develop critical thinking and decision-making skills that are needed to use the Internet safely.

Calls for increased efforts to raise awareness for the need for online safety in the United States.

Latest Action: 02/13/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Bill Text
A bill to prohibit deceptive conduct in the rating of video and computer games, and for other purposes.

2/13/2007--Introduced.

Truth in Video Game Rating Act - Prohibits any rating organization from assigning a content rating to any video or computer game unless it has reviewed its entire playable content. Prohibits any producer, seller, or distributor of such games from withholding or hiding any such content from a rating organization.

Requires any person submitting to a rating organization a video or computer game with hidden content to accompany it with the codes or methods necessary to access such hidden content. Prohibits a rating organization from providing a content rating that grossly mischaracterizes the game content.

Makes a violation of a prohibition of this Act an unfair or deceptive act or practice under specified provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act and requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce this Act.

Latest Action: 02/14/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.

Bill Text
To improve public awareness in the United States regarding safe use of the Internet through the establishment of an Office of Internet Safety and Public Awareness within the Federal Trade Commission. 2/13/2007--Introduced. Safeguarding America's Families by Enhancing and Reorganizing New and Efficient Technologies Act of 2007 or the SAFER NET Act - Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish an Office of Internet Safety and Public Awareness to be headed by a Director. Requires the FTC, acting through the Office, to carry out a nationwide program to increase public awareness and education regarding Internet safety, that utilizes existing resources and efforts of all levels of government and other appropriate entities and that includes: (1) evaluating and improving the efficiency of Internet safety efforts provided by such entities; (2) identifying and promoting best practices; (3) establishing and carrying out a national outreach and education campaign;[...]

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Latest Action: 04/11/2007 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Bill Text
A bill to provide stronger protections to parents regarding their children's access to sexually explicit material over the Internet. 4/11/2007--Introduced. Cyber Safety for Kids Act of 2007 - Prohibits an operator of a commercial website from knowingly placing material that is harmful to minors on the website unless: (1) any page that is initially viewable does not include any such material; (2) access to the material is restricted to a specific set of individuals through an age verification requirement; and (3) the website's source code contains the content description tag assigned to the website by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Requires he NTIA to develop a common content description tag that: (1) will warn and inform consumers regarding the presence of material that is harmful to minors; (2) will allow consumers to block or filter website access; and (3) is technologically capable of being embedded in the website's source [...]

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Latest Action: 06/18/2007 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H6408-6409)

Bill Text
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require recipients of universal service support for schools and libraries to protect minors from commercial social networking websites and chat rooms. 2/16/2007--Introduced. Deleting Online Predators Act of 2007 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require schools and libraries that receive universal service support to enforce a policy that: (1) prohibits access to a commercial social networking website or chat room unless used for an educational purpose with adult supervision; and (2) protects against access to visual depictions that are obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors. Allows an administrator, supervisor, or other authorized person to disable such a technology protection measure during use by an adult, or by minors with adult supervision, to enable access for educational purposes. Directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to: (1) issue a consumer alert regarding use of the Internet by child predators [...]

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Latest Action: 03/16/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Bill Text
To prohibit deceptive acts and practices in the content rating and labeling of video games.

3/15/2007--Introduced.

Video Game Decency Act of 2007 - Makes it unlawful for any person to distribute any video game whose label contains an age-based content rating if, with the intent of obtaining a less restrictive age-based rating, that person fails to disclose game content to an independent ratings organization, with the result that the video game receives a less-restrictive age-based content rating.

Treats any violation of this Act as an unfair or deceptive act or practice.

Preempts state or local law or regulation related to video game content rating.

Latest Action: 06/15/2007 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.

Bill Text
To empower parents to protect children from increasing depictions of indecent material on television. 6/15/2007--Introduced. Family and Consumer Choice Act of 2007 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to adopt rules to protect children from indecent video programming carried by a multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD). Gives MVPDs the option to either: (1) in accordance with FCC indecency and profanity policies and standards, not transmit indecent or profane material in the expanded basic tier between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. in the Eastern or Pacific time zones or between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the Central or Mountain times zones; (2) scramble or block any channel that a subscriber does not wish to receive; or (3) allow a subscriber to subscribe to a family tier of programming (defined as including all channels on the expanded basic tier, except those that carry programs rated TV-14 or TV-MA during those hours).[...]

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Latest Action: 11/15/2007 - DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on the question of passage, the objections of the President to the contrary notwithstanding.

Bill Text
Making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes. 11/7/2007--Senate receded and concurred with amendment.    (There are 4 other summaries) Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008 - Makes appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for FY2008. Title I: Department of Labor - Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2008 - Makes appropriations for FY2008 to the Department of Labor for: (1) the Employment and Training Administration, including training and employment services; (2) community service employment for older Americans; (3) federal unemployment benefits and allowances; (4) state unemployment insurance and employment service operations; (5) advances to the Unemployment [...]

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Latest Legislation - View All

Latest Action: 08/01/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Bill Text
A bill to require the Federal Communications Commission to auction spectrum for a free and open access wireless service. 8/1/2008--Introduced. Open Wireless Internet Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to promote nationwide broadband competition through the use of wireless services by issuing nationwide licenses, for a term of at least 15 years, for two bands of frequencies, each composed of 20 megahertz of unpaired contiguous spectrum, one band under 3 gigahertz and not part of the recovered analog spectrum and the other band between 2155 and 2180 megahertz. Requires the FCC to ensure that licensees of spectrum obtained under these provisions are fully protected from, and fully protect, licensees of adjacent spectrum from harmful interference, including receiver overload and excessive out-of-band emissions. Requires licensees, among other things, to offer to consumers and authorized public safety [...]

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Latest Action: 07/14/2008 - Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Bill Text
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to promote the safe use of the Internet by students, and for other purposes.

7/14/2008--Introduced.

Promoting the Safe Use of the Internet by Students Act of 2008 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow local educational agencies to use state subgrants under the Enhancing Education through Technology program and the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities program to develop and implement programs promoting safe internet use by students.

Latest Action: 07/28/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Bill Text
To amend title 18, United States Code, to strengthen penalties for child pornography offenses, child sex trafficking offenses, and other sexual offenses committed against children. 6/3/2008--Introduced. Prevention and Deterrence of Crimes Against Children Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to increase criminal penalties for offenses relating to the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, transportation of minors for illicit sexual purposes, child sex trafficking and prostitution, and sex crimes against children resulting in death. Directs the Attorney General to notify the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security of individuals, including aliens, who are convicted of sex offenses against children. Requires the Secretary of State to deny passports for such individuals and authorizes the Secretary to revoke, restrict, or limit a passport issued to a convicted sex offender if the passport was used to transport a minor for illicit sexual purposes.[...]

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Latest Action: 06/02/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Bill Text
A bill to establish a grant program to provide Internet crime prevention education.

6/2/2008--Introduced.

Internet Safety Education Act of 2008 - Directs the Attorney General to award grants to certain U.S. entities that assist elementary and secondary school administrators, faculty and staff, and law enforcement officials in implementing Internet crime prevention education. Defines "Internet crime prevention education" to mean programs that help parents, educators, and law enforcement officials to educate children and communities about how to recognize and prevent potentially criminal activity on the Internet, telephone, and other electronic means.

Latest Action: 05/13/2008 - Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4111-4112)

Bill Text
A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to strengthen penalties for child pornography offenses, child sex trafficking offenses, and other sexual offenses committed against children. 5/13/2008--Introduced. Prevention and Deterrence of Crimes Against Children Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to increase criminal penalties for offenses relating to the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, transportation of minors for illicit sexual purposes, child sex trafficking and prostitution, and sex crimes against children resulting in death. Directs the Attorney General to notify the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security of individuals, including aliens, who are convicted of sex offenses against children. Requires the Secretary of State to deny passports for such individuals and authorizes the Secretary to revoke, restrict, or limit a passport issued to a convicted sex offender if the passport was used in furtherance of sex crimes involving [...]

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Latest Action: 05/14/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Bill Text
A bill to direct the Attorney General to provide grants for Internet crime prevention education programs.

5/14/2008--Introduced.

Internet Crime Prevention Act of 2008 - Directs the Attorney General to make grants to i-SAFE, Inc., and to establish and administer competitive grant programs for organizations, to carry out Internet crime prevention education programs. Defines "Internet crime prevention education program" to mean a program for educating parents, children, educators, and communities to recognize and prevent potentially criminal activity on the Internet.

Latest Action: 04/16/2008 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Bill Text
A bill to amend title 18 of the United States Code to clarify the scope of the child pornography laws and for other purposes.

4/16/2008--Introduced.

Enhancing the Effective Prosecution of Child Pornography Act of 2008 - Amends the federal criminal code to: (1) include child pornography activities and the production of such pornography for importation into the United States as predicate crimes for money laundering prosecutions; and (2) define "possess" with respect to crimes of child sexual exploitation and child pornography to include accessing by computer visual depictions of child pornography with the intent to view.

Latest Action: 06/03/2008 - Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 758.

Bill Text
To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2009 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to provide for the protection of child custody arrangements for parents who are members of the Armed Forces deployed in support of a contingency operation, and for other purposes. 5/22/2008--Passed House amended.    (There is 1 other summary) Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 - Division A: Department of Defense Authorizations - Title I: Procurement - Subtitle A: Authorization of Appropriations - (Sec. 101) Authorizes appropriations for FY2009 for the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and Air Force for aircraft, missiles, weapons and tracked combat vehicles, ammunition, shipbuilding and conversion, and other procurement. (Sec.[...]

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Latest Action: 03/17/2008 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.

Bill Text
To amend title 28, United States Code, to limit Federal court jurisdiction over State laws restricting pornography, and for other purposes.

2/28/2008--Introduced.

The Pornography Jurisdiction Limitation Act of 2008 - Amends the federal judicial code to provide that no court created by Act of Congress shall have jurisdiction, and the Supreme Court shall have no appellate jurisdiction, to hear or decide a question of whether a state pornography law imposes a constitutionally invalid restriction on the freedom of expression. Provides that a decision of a federal court, to the extent the decision relates to such a question, is not binding precedent on a state court.

Latest Action: 11/14/2007 - Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Bill Text
To direct the Attorney General to provide grants for Internet crime prevention education programs.

11/13/2007--Passed House without amendment.    (There is 1 other summary)

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Directs the Attorney General, subject to the availability of funds, to: (1) provide a grant to i-Safe, Inc., to carry out Internet crime prevention education programs; and (2) create and administer a competitive grants program for organizations to carry out Internet crime prevention education programs. Defines "Internet crime prevention education programs" to mean programs that educate parents, children, educators, and communities about how to recognize and prevent potentially criminal activity on the Internet, including sexual or racial harassment, cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, exposure to pornography, and privacy violations.