Cliff Stearns: “I rise to highlight a study released yesterday by the Kaiser Family Foundation indicating that few parents use the…”

“I rise to highlight a study released yesterday by the Kaiser Family Foundation indicating that few parents use the V-chip to block their children from viewing sex and violence on television. Mr. Speaker, Congress included a provision in the Telecom Act of 1996 that television sets 13 inches or larger sold after January 1, 2000, must be equipped with a V-chip to screen out objectionable programming. Well, yesterday's study finds that 40 percent of American parents now own a TV equipped with a V-chip. However, despite high levels of concern about children's exposure to TV sex and violence, just 17 percent of these parents who own a V-chip, or 7 percent of all parents, are using it to block programs with sexual or violent content. Some of my colleagues are quick to rely on government as a panacea for all of our problems. Yesterday's report reveals that the long arm of government regulation is no substitute for good parenting.”