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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 10, 2003
Baca to Federal Trade Commission: "What are you doing WASHINGTON, D.C. - Parents and Congress have the ultimate responsibility to protect our nation's youth from the effects of violent and sexually explicit video games if retailers won't do it, said Representative Joe Baca (D-Rialto) at a hearing before the House Commerce, Justice, State, and Judiciary (CJSJ) Appropriations Subcommittee yesterday. Baca made the remarks as he was questioning Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Timothy J. Murris about the Commission's efforts to curtail the sale of ultra violent and sexually explicit games to minors. "We as parents have to take responsibility for our children," Baca said. "We are the first, and last, line of defense. We have to monitor where they are learning their behavior." "But stores also have a responsibility. When kids can walk into their neighborhood stores and buy games with graphic violent and sexual content, parents are cut out of the decision-making process. If local, state, or the Federal government has to help put parents back into the equation, then so be it. Children matter first and foremost, not corporate profits." The hearing, which was otherwise a routine hearing on the level of funding that would be appropriated to the FTC in the coming fiscal year, turned to the video game issue when CJSJ Subcommittee Chairman Frank Wolf (R-VA) displayed a video compilation of violent content in video games. He then allowed Baca to testify and question Murris about the FTC's efforts to stop the industry from marketing and selling violent and sexually explicit games to minors and efforts to educate parents about the content of video games. Murris announced that the FTC would hold public workshops this fall where all interested groups could discuss the problem. Baca praised Murris for the FTC's past efforts, including a 2001 report that indicated that 78 percent of children between the ages of 13 and 16 could purchase games with strong sexual and violent content, but also demanded that the Commission do more to protect our children at time when their minds and values are still being formed. Wolf congratulated Baca for leading the effort to protect our nation's youth and pledged to work closely with him on this issue. Baca is the first and only member of Congress to tackle the issue of the effects of violent and sexually explicit video games head on. Last year he introduced the Protect Children from Video Game Sex and Violence Act of 2002, and has introduced a new and improved version of the bill this year. The new bill, H.R. 669, would make it a federal crime for retailers to sell ultra violent and sexually explicit video games to minors because the games can be harmful to children. Also, Baca and 21of his House colleagues today sent a letter to Surgeon General Richard Carmona asking him to authorize a Report of the Surgeon General to study the health implications of repeated and prolonged exposure to ultra violent and sexually explicit video games. The letter states that more comprehensive research is needed to fully investigate the impact of media on children's cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral health, and asks the Surgeon General to "play an important role in improving our understanding of these issues by commissioning a Report of the Surgeon General regarding the health implications of violent and sexual media content" on children. "Video games are different that sex and violence in other forms of media," Baca said. "In video games, children assume the identity of the character." "They become the character and consciously make choices to kill people, have sex with prostitutes, and use drugs. Some games even allow children to watch naked strippers and watch acts of sodomy and oppression. Our kids are being brainwashed and I will not stand by and allow that to happen. I thank Chairman Wolf for joining me in this effort." # # # |
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