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Rep. Istook Reintroduces
Filter-Mandate Amendment

For the third time in less than a year, Rep. Ernest J. Istook, Jr. (R-Okla.) has introduced legislation that would require school libraries to run blocking software on their Internet workstations when children are using the machines. Offered as an amendment to the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill for FY2001, H.R. 4545 would deny Elementary and Secondary Education Act title III funds to schools that refuse to shield children from online obscenity, child pornography, or “material harmful to minors,” ALA’s Washington Office reported May 26.

“We’re not talking about censorship,” Istook said May 25 when he proposed the amendment. Asserting that “even an innocent search will often take a computer user” to an objectionable site, he declared, “We also want to remove the temptation, so kids won’t be trying to find [harmful material].”

H.R. 4545 was referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Posted June 5, 2000.

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