United States · Bill · HR
H.R. 1972 (105th)
Children's Privacy Protection and Parental Empowerment Act of 1997
Introduced
19 June 1997
Last action
30 April 1998 · Committee
Status
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Sponsors
Rep. Franks, Bob [R-NJ-7], Rep. McHugh, John M. [R-NY-23], Rep. Kelly, Sue W. [R-NY-19], Rep. Molinari, Susan [R-NY-13], Rep. Evans, Lane [D-IL-17], Rep. Foley, Mark [R-FL-16], Rep. Deal, Nathan [R-GA-9], Rep. Costello, Jerry F. [D-IL-12], Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18], Rep. Fattah, Chaka [D-PA-2], Rep. Bryant, Ed [R-TN-7], Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7], Rep. Horn, Stephen [R-CA-38], Rep. Granger, Kay [R-TX-12], Rep. Kim, Jay [R-CA-41], Rep. King, Peter T. [R-NY-2], Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18], Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7], Rep. Oberstar, James L. [D-MN-8], Rep. Furse, Elizabeth [D-OR-1], Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4], Rep. Barrett, Thomas M. [D-WI-5], Rep. Baker, Richard H. [R-LA-6], Rep. Norwood, Charles W. [R-GA-9], Rep. Fox, Jon D. [R-PA-13], Rep. Vento, Bruce F. [D-MN-4], Rep. Rothman, Steven R. [D-NJ-9], Rep. Fazio, Vic [D-CA-3], Rep. Duncan, John J., Jr. [R-TN-2], Rep. Ney, Robert W. [R-OH-18], Rescom. Romero-Barcelo, Carlos A. [D-PR-At Large], Rep. Parker, Mike [R-MS-4], Rep. Rivers, Lynn N. [D-MI-13], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Clement, Bob [D-TN-5], Rep. English, Phil [R-PA-3], Rep. Wexler, Robert [D-FL-19], Rep. Gilchrest, Wayne T. [R-MD-1], Rep. Gillmor, Paul E. [R-OH-5], Rep. Dunn, Jennifer [R-WA-8], Del. Christensen, Donna M. [D-VI-At Large], Rep. Greenwood, James C. [R-PA-8], Rep. Gordon, Bart [D-TN-6], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. McIntosh, David M. [R-IN-2], Rep. Blagojevich, Rod R. [D-IL-5], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. Thurman, Karen L. [D-FL-5]
Subjects
Defence, Education
Source updated
21 August 2025
Summary
Children's Privacy Protection and Parental Empowerment Act of 1997 - Amends the Federal criminal code to prohibit and set penalties for specified activities relating to personal information about a child (defined as a person under age 16), including knowingly: (1) selling such information (by a list broker) without the written consent of a parent of that child, knowing that such information pertains to a child; (2) using prison inmate labor for data processing of personal information about children; and (3) distributing or soliciting any such information, knowing or having reason to believe that the information will be used to abuse or physically harm the child. Sets penalties for contacting that child or a parent of that child (by a person who uses personal information about a child that was obtained for commercial purposes) to offer a commercial product or service to that child and knowingly failing to comply with a parent's request to: (1) disclose the source of such information, all information that has been sold or otherwise disclosed by that list broker about that child, and the identity of all persons to whom such information has been disclosed; or (2) discontinue providing such information to third parties. Sets penalties for knowingly releasing personal information about another person's child to any entity that intends to use the information to solicit the sale of a product or service, without the permission of that child's parent. Authorizes civil actions by a child or a parent with respect to whom a violation of this Act occurs. Directs the court to award a prevailing plaintiff a reasonable attorney's fee as part of the costs. Specifies that nothing in this Act affects the sale of lists to: (1) the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (the Center); (2) accredited colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher learning; (3) the U.S. military; or (4) local, State, or Federal law enforcement agencies. Declares that it shall be the duty of each list broker operating in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce to make that broker's databases available twice annually, without charge, to the Center to allow the Center to match it with the database of missing children held by the Center.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
19 June 1997
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
19 June 1997
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1267-1268)
Source: IntroReferral
19 June 1997
Introduced
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
19 June 1997
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
25 June 1997
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime.
Source: Committee
30 April 1998
Committee
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Source: Committee
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
- Introduced in House · 19 June 1997 · Download file
Documents
3 official files
Introduced in House (text)
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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 19 June 1997
Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 19 June 1997
ViewDownloadOpen at official source
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 19 June 1997
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Sponsors
- Rep. Franks, Bob [R-NJ-7] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. McHugh, John M. [R-NY-23] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Kelly, Sue W. [R-NY-19] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Molinari, Susan [R-NY-13] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Evans, Lane [D-IL-17] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Foley, Mark [R-FL-16] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Deal, Nathan [R-GA-9] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Costello, Jerry F. [D-IL-12] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Fattah, Chaka [D-PA-2] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Bryant, Ed [R-TN-7] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Horn, Stephen [R-CA-38] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Granger, Kay [R-TX-12] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Kim, Jay [R-CA-41] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. King, Peter T. [R-NY-2] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Cummings, Elijah E. [D-MD-7] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Oberstar, James L. [D-MN-8] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Furse, Elizabeth [D-OR-1] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Barrett, Thomas M. [D-WI-5] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Baker, Richard H. [R-LA-6] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Norwood, Charles W. [R-GA-9] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Fox, Jon D. [R-PA-13] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Vento, Bruce F. [D-MN-4] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Rothman, Steven R. [D-NJ-9] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Fazio, Vic [D-CA-3] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Duncan, John J., Jr. [R-TN-2] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Ney, Robert W. [R-OH-18] · R · Sponsor
- Rescom. Romero-Barcelo, Carlos A. [D-PR-At Large] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Parker, Mike [R-MS-4] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Rivers, Lynn N. [D-MI-13] · D · Sponsor
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Clement, Bob [D-TN-5] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. English, Phil [R-PA-3] · R · Sponsor
- Rep. Wexler, Robert [D-FL-19] · D · Sponsor
- Rep. Gilchrest, Wayne T. [R-MD-1] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Gillmor, Paul E. [R-OH-5] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Dunn, Jennifer [R-WA-8] · R · Cosponsor
- Del. Christensen, Donna M. [D-VI-At Large] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Greenwood, James C. [R-PA-8] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Gordon, Bart [D-TN-6] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. McIntosh, David M. [R-IN-2] · R · Cosponsor
- Rep. Blagojevich, Rod R. [D-IL-5] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2] · D · Cosponsor
- Rep. Thurman, Karen L. [D-FL-5] · D · Cosponsor
Showing 48 of 54 sponsors and actors.
Related records
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Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/house-bill/1972
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/105/hr/1972
- us · 105-hr-1972 · source updated 21 August 2025