Political Quotes

“First of all, let me thank Chairwoman Virginia Foxx for the extraordinary job she is doing on this important parental rights legislation, H.R. 5. I thank my friend from Virginia (Mr. Scott) for this civil debate. It has been disciplined. Obviously, we have a major fundamental difference, but there is respect on both sides. Mr. Chairman, last month, Adriana Olivia Kuch, a student at Central Regional High School, in my congressional district, tragically took her own life just days after a group of students violently attacked her in the school hallway and then shared the video of the horrific assault online. Adriana's family told the Asbury Park Press that she ``took her own life after being threatened online, attacked on school grounds, and then later harassed when video of the attack was spread via social media.'' My amendment today, Mr. Chairman, would add to the bill's disclosure requirement of violent incidences a provision that schools notify parents of whether recordings exist of such violence. The amendment recognizes that bullying and violence are often compounded, and the victim further traumatized, further humiliated, and further mocked, when the crime is videotaped and shared on social media. Once informed, the parents are empowered to, hopefully, be better able to shield, to better comfort, and to protect their child. This amendment is a step in the right direction of what must be a full-court press to tackle online bullying.…”