ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
Volume 15, Number 74
July 26, 2006

In This Issue: URGENT ACTION ALERT: Please call Representatives 
TODAY and ask them to oppose DOPA
 
URGENT Action Needed:
This afternoon, the House of Representatives debated H.R. 5319, 
the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA). A vote will occur in the 
next few hours. 
 
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES THIS AFTERNOON 
and ask that they oppose HR 5319. The Capitol Switchboard number 
is: 202-224-3121. 
 
Background:
DOPA is sponsored by Rep. Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and supported by the 
House Republican Suburban Caucus. It would require that, as a 
condition of receiving E-Rate support, all schools and libraries 
block access to social networking websites and chat rooms.
 
The bill raises a number of issues:
 
1) Local school districts and libraries should determine what 
content should flow into schools and libraries. Federal mandate 
over content control is very problematic.
 
2) Districts and libraries already have the power to block access 
to social networking sites and chat rooms and a number of them 
have already done so. 
 
3) DOPA imposes yet another burden on schools and libraries 
participating in the E-rate and may deter many from continuing to 
participate.
 
4) This bill paints an unflattering and distorted view of the 
Internet as a whole, serving to scare away parents, students, 
teachers and librarians from making use of all its resources.
 
Last week, YALSA Executive Director Beth Yoke testified on DOPA before the House 
Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet on DOPA. You can read her testimony 
here: http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/techinttele/DOPA_testimony.pdf.
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