Rockefeller Pushing For DTV Vote
Commerce Committee Chair Wants To Pass Delay Bill By Week's End
Ted Hearn -- Multichannel News, 1/22/2009 2:17:32 PM
Washington--Senate Commerce Committee chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) is hoping to wrap up negotiations soon and pass legislation Thursday or Friday to delay the national switch to digital TV to June 12 from Feb. 17.
"Our goal is to be able to try [to pass the bill] by unanimous consent today or tomorrow," a Rockefeller spokesman said Thursday.
Rockefeller's bill would extend the transition by 115-days and give consumers until July 31 to apply for two $40 government coupons to buy digital-to-analog converter boxes at retail outlets.
Rockefeller failed to pass his bill last Friday because of objections by unnamed Senate Republicans. House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) canceled a vote on his DTV delay bill on Wednesday, citing the moves by Senate Republicans to hold up Rockefeller's bill.
A spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said the lawmaker hasn't expressed an opinion about delaying the DTV transition.
"He hasn't said anything, one way or another," McConnell spokeswoman Jennifer Morris said.
Rockefeller's spokesman said the senator is negotiating with the Commerce Committee's ranking Republican member, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, but he declined to provide details.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has made clear that he will support a delay until June 12 but only if the bill guaranteed that the public safety organizations can get access to long-promised spectrum on Feb. 18.
A spokeswoman for Waxman said the Energy and Commerce Committee would not vote on the DTV delay bill this week. The panel was voting Thursday on economic stimulus legislation, which includes $650 million for the Commerce Department's coupon program, which has a waiting list for 2.5 million coupons.
"It looks as if the House is waiting for us to act before they do anything," Rockefeller's spokesman said.
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I sent an email message to Senator Rockefeller regarding his efforts to delay the DTV conversion. He or his staff wasn't decent enough to respond to my question and concerns about the proposed delay... I wonder how effective President Obama will be if we have someone like Rockefeller in charge of Commerce? It is disappointing to see these so called "high-powered policians" ride into town on white horses and undo many years of work for this DTV conversion. Rockefeller just don't get it at all... its just, sad, sad, sad...
Robert Takemasa - 1/23/2009 4:46:09 PM EST -
Go ahead and leave the February date alone. All that changing the date will do is cause more expense and delay.If people aren't ready in February they won't be ready in June. Enough already!
Lloyd Pritchett - 1/22/2009 2:56:11 PM EST
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