congressional_record: CREC-2008-12-10-pt1-PgH10943
Data license: Public Domain (U.S. Government data) · Data source: Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API
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| granule_id | date | congress | session | volume | issue | title | chamber | granule_class | sub_granule_class | page_start | page_end | speakers | bills | citation | full_text |
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| CREC-2008-12-10-pt1-PgH10943 | 2008-12-10 | 110 | 2 | 154 | SHORT-TERM ANALOG FLASH AND EMERGENCY READINESS ACT | HOUSE | HOUSE | ALLOTHER | H10943 | H10944 | [{"name": "Lois Capps", "role": "speaking"}] | [{"congress": "110", "type": "S", "number": "3663"}, {"congress": "110", "type": "S", "number": "3663"}, {"congress": "110", "type": "S", "number": "3663"}] | 154 Cong. Rec. H10943 | Congressional Record, Volume 154 Issue 185 (Wednesday, December 10, 2008) [Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 185 (Wednesday, December 10, 2008)] [House] [Pages H10943-H10944] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] SHORT-TERM ANALOG FLASH AND EMERGENCY READINESS ACT Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Commerce be discharged from further consideration of the Senate bill (S. 3663) to require the Federal Communications Commission to provide for a short-term extension of the analog television broadcasting authority so that essential public safety announcements and digital television transition information may be provided for a short time during the transition to digital television broadcasting, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House. The Clerk read the title of the Senate bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from California? There was no objection. The text of the Senate bill is as follows: S. 3663 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act''. SEC. 2. COMMISSION ACTION REQUIRED. (a) Program Required.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Federal Communications Commission shall, not later than January 15, 2009, develop and implement a program to encourage and permit, to the extent technically feasible and subject to such limitations as the Commission finds to be consistent with the public interest and the requirements of this Act, the broadcasting in the analog television service of only the public safety information and digital transition information specified in subsection (b) during the 30-day period beginning on the day after the date established by law under section 3002(b) of the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 for termination of all licenses for full-power television stations in the analog television service and the cessation of broadcasting by full-power stations in the analog television service. (b) Information required.--The program required by subsection (a) shall provide for the broadcast of-- [[Page H10944]] (1) emergency information, including critical details regarding the emergency, as broadcast or required to be broadcast by full-power stations in the digital television service; (2) information, in both English and Spanish, and accessible to persons with disabilities, concerning-- (A) the digital television transition, including the fact that a transition has taken place and that additional action is required to continue receiving television service, including emergency notifications; and (B) the steps required to enable viewers to receive such emergency information via the digital television service and to convert to receiving digital television service, including a phone number and Internet address by which help with such transition may be obtained in both English and Spanish; and (3) such other information related to consumer education about the digital television transition or public health and safety or emergencies as the Commission may find to be consistent with the public interest. SEC. 3. LIMITATIONS. In designing the program required by this Act, the Commission shall-- (1) take into account market-by-market needs, based upon factors such as channel and transmitter availability; (2) ensure that broadcasting of the program specified in section 2(b) will not cause harmful interference with signals in the digital television service; (3) not require the analog television service signals broadcast under this Act to be retransmitted or otherwise carried pursuant to section 325(b), 338, 339, 340, 614, or 615 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 325(b), 338, 339, 340, 614, or 615); (4) take into consideration broadcasters' digital power levels and transition and coordination plans that already have been adopted with respect to cable systems and satellite carriers' systems; (5) prohibit any broadcast of analog television service signals under section 2(b) on any spectrum that is approved or pending approval by the Commission to be used for public safety radio services, including television channels 14-20; and (6) not include the analog spectrum between channels 52 and 69, inclusive (between frequencies 698 and 806 megahertz, inclusive) reclaimed from analog television broadcasting pursuant to section 309(j) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)). SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. As used in this Act, the term ``emergency information'' has the meaning such term has under part 79 of the regulations of the Federal Communications Commission (47 C.F.R. part 79). Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 3663, the Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act. On February 18, 2009, full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and transition to all-digital broadcasting. This is undoubtedly an important step forward for our country; it allows us to more efficiently utilize our airwaves, and to lay the groundwork for a nationwide public safety network. However, we must proceed with caution to ensure that segments of our population are not left behind and remain informed in cases of emergency. That is why I introduced the SAFER Act. This bill creates a program within the FCC that allows for the continuation of analog signals to televisions for 30 days following the DTV transition. It ensures that, once the digital television transition has taken place, unprepared analog televisions will receive a short ``slide''--in English and Spanish--explaining that the digital transition has occurred and what viewers need to do to continue receiving television broadcasts. The bill also allows for emergency communications, such as natural disaster alerts, to be broadcast to unprepared analog televisions. The fires that raged through my congressional district and other parts of southern California last month are an example of alerts that could be broadcast to television viewers who were unprepared for the DTV transition. According to the GAO, over 17 million households rely exclusively on analog over-the-air television, and while broadcasters, the FCC and others have been working furiously to let them know about the upcoming transition, there will inevitably be some folks left behind. In fact, that is exactly what happened after an FCC ``test'' transition in Wilmington, NC. Despite saturation advertising announcing the change and a geographic topography most conducive to it, nearly 2,000 households woke up to find that their televisions did not work; when extrapolated to the entire Nation this could mean that at least 1.5 million households will wake up on February 18 without a working television. We also know that certain segments of our population will likely be disproportionately impacted by the digital transition: Latinos, African Americans, and seniors. As someone who represents a congressional district that is 42 percent Latino and has many senior citizens, I find this very troubling. Clearly, we should be doing everything we can to ensure that no Americans are left behind during this important time. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to my colleague Senator Rockefeller and his staff for taking leadership on this important bill in the Senate, and to Chairman Dingell and his staff for working closely with us to ensure that no one is left behind by the DTV transition. I urge my colleagues to support S. 3663, the Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act. The Senate bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the third time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________ |