The Blackburn Report: Kids Are Dying Because Big Tech Designs Their Platforms to Harm Them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqtA5r3Rwts

This week, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, I spoke with Tamia Woods, whose only son tragically died by suicide in 2022 after he was sexually extorted. We talked about the importance of kids’ online safety and how I have led the charge to pass the Kids Online Safety Act to stop Big Tech from turning a blind eye while criminals use their platforms to prey on innocent children like James Woods. As a mother and a grandmother, my heart breaks for Ms. Woods. There are laws in the physical space that protect children, but in the virtual space, our children are vulnerable 24/7, 365. James Woods was cyberbullied to death, and this is why we need to pass the Kids Online Safety Act. Watch my committee hearing about this here.

Weekly Rundown

	Families shouldn’t be stuck with one or two overpriced health insurance options just because of where they live. This week, I introduced the *Health Coverage Across State Lines Act, which would allow across-state-line purchases of health insurance. This would empower Americans* to choose the health insurance plan that works for them by lowering costs, expanding options, and increasing competition in the marketplace. Read more here.
On the Senate floor, I slammed Democrats for pushing to extend pandemic-era health care subsidies that are riddled with waste, fraud, and abuse and would cost American taxpayers $35 billion per year. A recent U.S. Government Accountability Office report highlights just how easy it is to commit fraud with these subsidies. Americans do not want the federal government in charge of their health care, and they definitely do not want their hard-earned tax dollars underwriting fraud. Watch my floor speech about this here.
	College athletes are now earning billions of dollars from their name, image, and likeness (NIL)—and rightfully so. We must empower these students to safeguard their financial future and protect themselves against rogue agents. That’s why I introduced the Helping Undergraduate Students Thrive with Long-Term Earnings (HUSTLE) Act to help them navigate the multibillion-dollar NIL marketplace. This legislation would empower college athletes to invest their earnings in a tax-advantaged account that grows over time, require trustees to provide financial education, and create safeguards to prevent exploitation by dishonest agents. Read more here.
The U.S. is the only democratic country in the world where artists are not paid for the use of their music. During a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property hearing, I pressed Henry Hinton, CEO of Inner Banks Media and a member of the National Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors, on the importance of passing my American Music Fairness Act. This legislation would ensure that artists are fairly compensated when their music is played on AM/FM radio stations. Read more here.

Marsha's Roundup

Watch My Committee Hearings, Floor Speech, and Interview

Senator Blackburn speaks with Tamia Woods, who lost her son to sextortion

Senator Blackburn calls on Congress to pass her American Music Fairness Act to support artists

Senator Blackburn slams Democrats for pushing to extend pandemic-era health care subsidies

Senator Blackburn discusses GOP health care plan and the Kids Online Safety Act on Faulkner Focus

Meeting With Marsha

Senator Blackburn greets Tennesseans at Tennessee Tuesday

Senator Blackburn with KISS member Gene Simmons

Senators Blackburn and Hagerty with the Children’s Hospital Alliance

Senator Blackburn with MidSouth Development District

Senator Blackburn meets with Johnson County Mayor Larry Potter, Carter County Mayor Patty Woodby, Washington County Mayor Joe Grandy, and Cooke County Mayor Rob Mathis

Senator Blackburn with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia H.E. Baiba Braze

Senator Blackburn receives an award for achieving New Markets Tax Credit permanency in the One Big Beautiful Bill

Senator Blackburn attends a Turning Point USA event at the Tennessee State Capitol building

Senator Blackburn with Riley Gaines

Senator Blackburn is honored for her excellence in advocacy by the Society of Composers & Lyricists

Senator Blackburn celebrates the arrival of the KC-46 at McGhee Tyson Air Base

ICYMI

Last week, I penned an op-ed in TIME making the case for the Kids Online Safety Act following new reporting that revealed sex trafficking on Meta platforms was both difficult to report and widely tolerated. Read my op-ed here, and watch my floor speech about this here.
On the day before Thanksgiving, two National Guard members were ambushed by a gunman. The shooting suspect is a 29-year-old Afghan national who entered our country in 2021 under Joe Biden’s ‘Operation Allies Welcome.’ Read more about this in my weekly column here.