[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9197 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9197
To prohibit the use of Federal funds to develop, implement, facilitate,
or fund any sexually oriented program, event, or literature for
children under the age of 10, and for other purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 18, 2022
Mr. Johnson of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. Good of Virginia, Mr. Babin,
Mr. Duncan, Mrs. Hartzler, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Mullin, Mrs. Boebert, Mr.
Steube, Mrs. Lesko, Mr. Webster of Florida, Mr. Norman, Mr. Weber of
Texas, Mr. Taylor, Mrs. Miller of Illinois, Mr. Gooden of Texas, Mr.
Gohmert, Mr. Grothman, Mr. Timmons, Mr. Higgins of Louisiana, Mr.
Womack, Mr. Mann, Mr. Joyce of Pennsylvania, Mr. C. Scott Franklin of
Florida, Mr. Owens, Mr. Rosendale, Mr. Fulcher, Mr. Tiffany, Ms.
Malliotakis, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Clyde, Mr. Guest, and Mr. Bishop of North
Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committee on
Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit the use of Federal funds to develop, implement, facilitate,
or fund any sexually oriented program, event, or literature for
children under the age of 10, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Stop the Sexualization of Children
Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Certain school districts that receive Federal grants
have implemented sexual education for children under 10 years
of age.
(2) Many newly implemented sexual education curriculums
encourage discussions of sexuality, sexual orientation,
transgenderism, and gender ideology as early as kindergarten.
(3) State and local library systems, museums, and other
educational institutions that receive Federal grants have
purchased sexually oriented literature and materials that
target preadolescent children and teach them about concepts
like masturbation, pornography, sexual acts, and gender
transition.
(4) Private organizations, State government agencies, and
local government agencies have made use of Federal grants to
host and promote sexually oriented events like drag queen story
hours and burlesque shows.
(5) Federal agencies like the Department of Defense have
used Federal funds to promote and host burlesque shows and drag
shows on Federal property during family-oriented events.
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) parents and legal guardians have the right and
responsibility to determine where, if, when, and how their
children are exposed to material of a sexual nature; and
(2) Federal funds should not be used to expose children
under 10 years of age to sexually oriented material.
SEC. 4. PROHIBITING THE PRESENTATION OF SEXUALLY ORIENTED MATERIALS TO
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 10.
(a) Federal Funds Limitation.--No Federal funds may be made
available to develop, implement, facilitate, or fund any sexually
oriented program, event, or literature for children under the age of
10, including hosting or promoting any program, event, or literature
involving sexually oriented material, or any program, event, or
literature that exposes children under the age of 10 to nude adults,
individuals who are stripping, or lewd or lascivious dancing.
(b) Prohibition at Federal Facilities.--A federally owned facility
or property may not be used to host or promote any sexually oriented
program, event, or literature for children under the age of 10,
including any program, event, or literature listed in subsection (a).
(c) Civil Action.--
(1) Private right of action.--A parent or legal guardian of
a child may bring a civil action for injunctive relief in any
Federal district court of appropriate jurisdiction against a
government official, government agency, or private entity for a
violation of subsection (a) or subsection (b) by such an
official, agency, or entity if the child was--
(A) exposed to sexually oriented material funded in
part or in whole by Federal funds; and
(B) under the age of 10 at the time that such
exposure occurred.
(2) Statute of limitations.--An action under this
subsection may commence not later than 1 year after a violation
occurs under subsection (a) or (b).
(3) Attorney's fees and other costs.--In any action brought
under this subsection, the court, in its discretion, may award
a prevailing plaintiff reasonable attorney's fees, expert
witness fees, and other costs of litigation.
(d) Prohibition on Federal Funds.--
(1) Administrative enforcement.--The head of a Federal
agency may not disburse Federal funds to any Federal program,
State or local government agency, or private entity for 3
fiscal years if that entity receives 2 or more injunctions for
violations of subsection (a) or (b) in a 5-year period.
(2) Notification.--The appropriate head of a Federal agency
shall submit to a government agency or private entity written
notice of the prohibition on the disbursement of Federal funds
under paragraph (1).
(3) Appeal.--Not later than 30 days after receiving a
notice pursuant to paragraph (2), a government agency or
private entity may appeal a prohibition on the disbursement of
Federal funds under paragraph (1) in an administrative hearing
of the appropriate agency.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Sexually oriented material.--The term ``sexually
oriented material'' means any depiction, description, or
simulation of sexual activity, any lewd or lascivious depiction
or description of human genitals, or any topic involving gender
identity, gender dysphoria, transgenderism, sexual orientation,
or related subjects.
(2) Stripping.--The term ``stripping'' means any act which
involves the removal or simulated removal of clothing in a
sexual manner for the entertainment of one or more individuals.
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