Press Releases

WASHINGTON — Speaker Johnson issued the following statement after the House passed H.R. 7757 – the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act – landmark legislation to protect children and teens online and empower parents to make the best decisions for their own children.

“For years, Congress has worked to find 21st century solutions to the real dangers that children and teens face online, and the bipartisan KIDS Act offers a major remedy to these problems. This legislation represents an important step forward in Congress’ effort to protect children online and hold big tech accountable, while also empowering parents and protecting free speech,” Speaker Johnson said. “I commend Chairman Guthrie for working across the aisle to get this done, and we look forward to working with our Senate counterparts to ensure these essential protections for our children become law.”

“Parents should be able to trust that their children are safe online. The KIDS Act takes a focused, commonsense approach to strengthening protections for minors, while giving families more tools to help keep their children safe,” Leader Scalise said. “I applaud Chairman Guthrie and the Energy and Commerce Committee for their leadership in advancing this important legislation. House Republicans will continue fighting for policies that put families first."

“Congress has spent years searching for how to best protect children and teens online, and today’s overwhelming bipartisan vote indicates that we have found our solution. The KIDS Act creates strong protections with new rules for design features, default settings, and kids’ privacy,” Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Guthrie said. “We want to thank our colleagues for their strong vote today to protect kids, empower parents, and hold internet platforms accountable.”

“Empowering parents to better protect their children—especially in the face of the near-constant barrage of digital threats—remains one of our most important responsibilities,” Rep. Bilirakis said. “Today, we advanced that mission by moving forward this package, including the Kids Online Safety Act, which establishes a comprehensive set of safeguards, such as addressing compulsive usage, and parental controls to protect kids. One troubling post should not turn into a constant stream of depression, suicide, or eating disorder content. I remain committed to ensuring children can safely navigate the digital world while holding technology companies accountable. Protecting our kids must always come before protecting corporate profits.”