Kendra S. Horn: “I rise on behalf of H.R. 1271, the Family Privacy Protection Act of 1995. Safeguarding the privacy rights of minors and…”

“I rise on behalf of H.R. 1271, the Family Privacy Protection Act of 1995. Safeguarding the privacy rights of minors and their families is an essential part of the Contract With America. Both our Subcommittee on Government Management, Information, and Technology and the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight have taken great care to ensure that the bill's language reflects that important objective. Let me briefly summarize the bill's provision. H.R. 1271 establishes a consent requirement for those conducting a survey or questionnaire funded in whole or in part by the Federal Government. Those seeking responses of minors on surveys or questionnaires must obtain the consent of parents or guardians before asking seven types of invasive questions. The areas of concern for which parental or guardian consent is required for minors are questions related to: First, parental political affiliation or beliefs; second, mental or psychological problems; third, sexual behavior or attitudes; fourth, illegal, antisocial, or self-incriminating behavior; fifth, appraisals of other individuals with whom the minor has a familial relationship; sixth, relationships that are legally recognized as privileged, including those with lawyers, physicians, and members of the clergy; and seventh, religious affiliations and beliefs. The bill also provides five types of commonsense exceptions from this requirement.”