Democrats seek to boost media literacy for students, veterans with two new bills

A trio of Democrats introduced two bicameral expenses aimed at boosting media literacy capabilities for learners and veterans by providing funding for nationwide educational courses. 

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), a lead sponsor of the expenses in the Senate, reported Thursday the effort will “help battle disinformation and misinformation campaigns that seek to manipulate perceptions and sow division.” 

“These costs will deliver pupils and veterans with the abilities they have to have to make informed conclusions about on the web content and protect themselves from exploitation,” Klobuchar stated in a statement. 

The bills, released with Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and by Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) in the Residence, would with each other offer $40 million to federal companies to fund schooling systems to enhance media literacy for American learners and veterans. 

The Electronic Citizenship and Media Literacy Act would supply $20 million about the training course of 4 a long time for the Nationwide Telecommunications and Information and facts Administration to produce a grant method that supports electronic citizenship and media literacy for college students in grades K-12. 

The grants would be out there to nearby and state instructional companies, nonprofit organizations and general public libraries to develop packages aimed at bettering media literacy capabilities for learners. 

The proposal is co-sponsored by Sens. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). 

The Veterans On line Information and facts and Cybersecurity Empowerment Act would provide $20 million over a few yrs for the Section of Veterans Affairs to administer a grant program to instruct veterans media literacy abilities. The program would also train veterans cybersecurity best tactics to recognize disinformation and aid them prevent on the internet frauds and hacking.