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HRES 1374

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that parents should be provided clear, accurate, and useful information about the content of video programming so they can make informed decisions for their children.

119th Congress Introduced by Sheri Biggs and 6 co-sponsors

The bill urges modernizing and applying a neutral, transparent, and parental-focused ratings system across all video platforms to help parents make informed choices for their child

Submitted in House
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HRES 1374

Bill overview

  • Bill: H.R. 1374
  • Session: 119th Congress (2nd Session)
  • Title: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that parents should be provided clear, accurate, and useful information about the content of video programming so they can make informed decisions for their children.
  • Status (as of text): Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce (June 18, 2026).
  • Sponsor and co-sponsors: Primary sponsor Ms. Hageman; co-sponsors include Mrs. Biggs, Mr. Rose, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mr. Harris, Mr. Van Orden, and others.

Purpose and intent

The resolution expresses the sense of the House that:
- Parents should receive clear, accurate, and useful information about the content of video programming to inform decisions for their children.
- The current ratings framework, originally designed for broadcast, should be modernized and applied across the broader, fragmented video marketplace (broadcast, cable, streaming, on-demand).
- Ratings and parental-control tools should help families make informed viewing choices, including in a streaming-first world.
- Oversight and governance of the ratings system should include meaningful representation from parents, child advocacy groups, and other public-interest stakeholders, not just industry participants.
- There should be increased transparency, accountability, and public confidence in how ratings are assigned, reviewed, and challenged.
- The FCC should play a proactive role in promoting policies that empower parents and improve consumer information.

Key provisions and proposals

The resolution outlines six primary directive areas for action by the FCC and lawmakers:

  1. Modernized ratings framework (across platforms): Encourage development of a new, modernized ratings system that provides parents with clear, accurate, and useful information for broadcast, cable, streaming, and on-demand video programming.

  2. Neutral and specific content descriptions: Ensure descriptions are neutral, objective, and sufficiently specific to help parents distinguish among materials that may relate to family values and choices.

  3. Transparency and accountability in ratings: Promote greater transparency about how ratings are assigned, reviewed, and challenged so parents can understand the process.

  4. Inclusive oversight body: Require that the ratings-system oversight body include meaningful representation from parents, child advocacy organizations, and other public-interest stakeholders in addition to industry representatives.

  5. Public awareness and use of parental guidance tools: Support public awareness campaigns about rating-based controls and other parental guidance tools so families can practically use the information provided.

  6. Potential for additional statutory authority: Acknowledge that further legislative action may be needed to advance these goals and signal that Congress should consider appropriate action if necessary.

Who and what would be affected

  • Parents and households: Direct beneficiaries through improved clarity and usefulness of content information and controls to guide children’s viewing.
  • Consumers and families using video services: Gains from more transparent descriptions and consistent guidance across broadcast, cable, streaming, and on-demand services.
  • FCC and ratings bodies: Potential shift toward a more modernized, transparent, and representative governance framework; expanded public-interest participation.
  • Industry participants: Encouraged to participate in an updated, consumer-focused ratings system and may need to adapt descriptions and processes to meet new standards for neutrality and specificity.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The resolution is a formal expression of the House’s sense and does not itself amend law or create new regulatory requirements.
  • It directs and urges the Federal Communications Commission to pursue modernization, transparency, and inclusive governance of the ratings framework and to promote public awareness of parental guidance tools.
  • It indicates that if additional statutory authority is required to achieve these goals, Congress should consider appropriate legislative action in the future.
  • As a resolution, it serves as a guiding statement of policy rather than a bill that would immediately change statutory rules.

Potential impact and considerations

  • If acted upon, could lead to a new or revised ratings framework that spans all video platforms, making it easier for parents to compare and select appropriate content.
  • May prompt reforms to the composition and operation of rating oversight bodies to incorporate non-industry voices.
  • Could result in greater FCC emphasis on transparency, possibly affecting how ratings are assigned, updated, reviewed, and challenged.
  • The emphasis on non-bias, objective descriptions seeks to reduce ambiguity and improve parental decision-making without replacing parental judgment.
  • Implementation would likely depend on subsequent legislation or regulatory actions by the FCC and Congress.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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