Date: 2007-11-13
Speaker: LINDA T. SANCHEZ (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Cali

fornia. I want to thank Chairman CONYERS for his support of this bill. .Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of H.R. 4134. the Internet Crime PreVention Education Program Act. This bill .will authorize funding for the iSAFE program for 5 years and create a new grant competition to provide funds for likeminded Internet safety and crime prevention programs. This new grant program will support and enhance the efforts of schools. law enforcement agencies and parents to give children the skills they need to -avoid potential criminal activity on the Internet. By bringing this- bill to the floor today. the leadership of the House on both sides of the aisle has demonstrated that it recognizes that our children are in danger from cyberbullying. identity theft. cyberstalking and harassment and other potential cybercrimes. These are very real threats and they demand real action. and I am proud that we are united in this effort. Although adults. even those with children. dont always realize it. children face a myriad of online dangers whenever they use chat rooms. instant messages and email. They could come across predators. financial scams. or inappropriate content when they go online to do things as innocent as research for school assignments. The Internet is a powerful tool for progress that is transforming the way our society obtains and shares information. But unfortunately the Internet also carries risks when misused as an avenue for predators. bullies and thieves. Last year. one in five children received a sexual solicitation or were inappropriately approached via the Internet. Unfortunately. numerous children have already become victims of unspeakable physical harm or have suffered irreparable mental injuries from online predators. Sexual predators are not the only danger facing youth online. As bizarre as it may seem to those of us old enough that we didnt have these technologies when we were in school. bullies are using their cell phones and the Internet to torment their peers. This literally means that kids can be bullied any hour of the day or night and even within their own homes. And because it is not face to face. cyberbullying can be much crueler and present a Whole new set of dangers. Cyberbullying can have serious consequences and inflict lasting wounds on young people. Studies have found that bullying can negatively impact the academic performance. selfesteem. and mental and physical health of children. Whenever I discuss bullying. I inevitably hear one person ask. "What is wrong with a little bullying? It makes you stronger. It builds character." Builds character? Really? It is important to realize that students who are bullied are more likely to be depressed and commit suicide. So many of the horrifying school shootings in recent years have been linked to bullying that it can no longer be viewed as a rite of passage. Bullying and harassment must be treated as the violent and damaging behaviors that they are. This bill. the Internet Crime Prevention Education Program Act. is just one part of a package of bills that I have introduced to keep our kids safe by tackling bullying and harassment. iSAFE is the perfect example of an organization that shares this goal. iSAFE. Incorporated is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to protecting the online experience of youth by incorporating classroom curriculum with community outreach to make the Internet a safer place. The iSAFE program is free for schools. school districts. law enforcement. communities. and parents in large part because of the congressional funding it has received on a bipartisan basis since 2002. iSAFE has provided over 3 million children in 50 States with the tools to -protect themselves on the Internet. After participating in the iSAFE program. 91 percent of students say that they will make better choices about where they go on the Internet. 87 percent say they will be more careful about sharing personal information in chat rooms. and 75 percent say they are less likely to meet someone from the Internet in person. Law enforcement. which deserves praise for pursuing cybercriminals needs the help of programs like iSAFE. the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. the National Crime Prevention Council. Web Wise Kids. Netsmartz. and Teen Angels. to help reduce online crimes through prevention. When used the right way. the Internet can be a valuable educational resource and allow for extended social networks. It is our responsibility to ensure that children are able to enjoy all of the benefits of the Internet armed with the knowledge of how to stay safe. I therefore urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4134.