Rep. Betty McCollum and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, both D-Minn., joined Sen. Joe Lieberman, Ind-Conn., in criticizing video game retailers, parents and the gaming industry over growing violence in video games and a lax enforcement of ratings systems on violent and sexually explicit video games.

“There’s an endless stream of new games that will never be suitable for children,” said McCollum in a press release. She spoke at a press conference earlier this week unveiling the 12th Annual MediaWise Video Game Report Card, a project of the National Institute on Media and the Family.

The purpose of the report card is to “reinvigorate and reform efforts to ensure that our kids are gaining the benefits from games while minimizing the harm,” according to the Minneapolis-based institute. “Unfortunately, this year’s Video Game Report Card makes clear that these graphic games are still all too easily available to young children, and we need a strong, united effort by video game producers, retailers, parents and lawmakers to change that,” said McCollum.The report found that teens were gaining access to video games rated “M” that are only to be sold to people aged 17 and older. “Encouragingly, our 8-year-old shoppers were prevented from buying M-rated games,” the report said. “However, kids as young as 12 were able to buy M-rated games almost half the times they attempted to do so. And, the 15-year-olds were able to purchase M-rated games almost two-thirds of the time. Perhaps the worst example of the system failing was an incident in which a 16-year-old girl was requested to show her ID, but after the clerk reviewed her ID, she was still able to purchase an M-rated game intended for players 17 and up.”

The institute expressed concern over a growing trend in churches and libraries of using video games rated M to attract youth to their programs. “While video game tournaments are an innovative way to reach today’s children, allowing 13- and 14- year old teenagers to play games that are rated for players over the age of 17 is irresponsible,” the report said. “This strategy undercuts the rating system and sabotages parents who are trying to follow the ratings and restrict their children from playing M-rated games.”

McCollum said she supports the Video Game Violence and Sexual Content Act of 2007, which would require the Federal Trade Commission to review the video game rating system implemented by the industry Entertainment Software Rating Board.

But ultimately, the members at the press conference urged parents to be the responsible party in policing their children’s gaming habits. “During this holiday shopping season, I would urge parents to be aware of video game ratings and the resources available to them to monitor their child’s game choices and screen time,” said Klobuchar in a press release. “Preparing our children to live in a digital world requires utilizing and developing technologies to help parents, and a commitment to teach children the difference between what is right and what is wrong.”