IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 25 

Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the goals and 

ideals of National Internet Safety Month. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 7, 2009 

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the support of the House of Representatives for 

the goals and ideals of National Internet Safety Month. 

Whereas the Department of Justice reports that an estimated 

77 million children have access to the Internet; 

Whereas one in five youth who use the Internet regularly 

(using the Internet at least once a month for the past six 

months on a computer at home, at school, in a library, 

or at someone else’s home) have reported receiving a sexual approach or solicitation over the Internet in the past 

year; 

Whereas one in 33 youth received an aggressive sexual solicitation in the past year; 

Whereas one in 17 youth reported being threatened or harassed in the past year; 


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•HRES 25 IH 

Whereas only a fraction of all episodes were reported to authorities such as the police, an Internet service provider, 

or a hotline; 

Whereas 25 percent of the youth who encountered a sexual 

approach or solicitation told a parent; 

Whereas 40 percent of those reporting an unwanted exposure 

to sexual material told a parent; 

Whereas child predators victimize children over the Internet 

both by enticing them through online contact for the purpose of engaging them in sexual acts and by exploiting 

them for sexual tourism (travel with the intent to engage 

in sexual behavior) for commercial gain; 

Whereas child predators also use the Internet to produce, 

manufacture, and distribute child pornography, to expose 

young people to child pornography, and to encourage 

them to exchange pornography; 

Whereas the establishment of National Internet Safety Month 

would increase awareness of Internet predators and educate local communities about ways of preventing crimes 

against children; and 

Whereas the battle in cyberspace for the safety of the Nation’s children must be addressed and won: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the goals and ideals of National 

3 Internet Safety Month; 

4 (2) recognizes that parents, teachers, and com5 munity leaders can empower children to resist the 


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1 lures of online predators by educating them at home, 

2 in classrooms, and through community groups; 

3 (3) encourages parents to take online safety 

4 concerns seriously and to effectively safeguard their 

5 family members from online threats; 

6 (4) requests that teachers, law enforcement offi7 cers, and youth leaders seek out and implement 

8 proven tools and resources that are available to edu9 cate children on avoiding online victimization; 

10 (5) asks State governors to actively promote 

11 Internet Safety Month and to encourage the full 

12 participation of State officials in community part13 nerships and local initiatives to protect children on14 line; 

15 (6) encourages the launch of a national media 

16 campaign on Internet safety awareness; and 

17 (7) calls on Internet safety organizations, law 

18 enforcement personnel, educators, community lead19 ers, parents, and volunteers to increase their efforts 

20 to raise the level of awareness in the United States 

21 with respect to the need to prevent Internet preda22 tors from committing criminal acts against Amer23 ica’s children. 

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