Rob Portman: “I was pleased to join with the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey) to introduce House Concurrent Resolution 184.…”

“I was pleased to join with the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey) to introduce House Concurrent Resolution 184. The resolution is pretty straightforward. It recognizes the importance, as the gentleman from Michigan has said, of family-friendly television programming and the specific contributions of a new group called the Family Friendly Programming Forum and the efforts they are undertaking to make this goal a reality. Recent events have intensified a national debate on child development and particularly the influence of popular culture on our children. We cannot overlook the important role that television plays in shaping the attitudes and the outlook of our Nation's young people. Studies show that on average children will watch between 22 and 28 hours of television every week which in many cases, Mr. Speaker, is about the same amount of time they spend in school. And television is not only a powerful influence, unfortunately it is too often a negative one.”