Markup Notice: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology

Press Release

The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, chaired by Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) has scheduled a markup next week to consider draft legislation to reauthorize the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act. The subcommittee will convene for opening statements only on Monday, March 24, 2014, at 5:30 p.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The subcommittee will reconvene in the same room on Tuesday, March 25, 2014.

"This vote will be another step toward ensuring that the 1.5 million Americans who rely on satellite television services don't lose access to major programming at the end of the year," said Chairman Walden. "The draft legislation, which addresses a number of discrete issues raised over the course of the subcommittee's year-long review, strikes the appropriate balance to improve the law without offering any fundamental changes to the marketplace, which are best left to our work toward a Communications Act update. I look forward to working with the rest of the subcommittee to advance this must-pass legislation next week."

The subcommittee held a legislative hearing on March 12 focused on the discussion draft released by Chairman Walden. The draft legislation would reauthorize the law for five years, and includes:

Limitations on joint retransmission consent negotiations in conjunction with limitations on FCC action on broadcaster shared services arrangements

The elimination of the "sweeps" week prohibition on signal change

The elimination of the set-top box integration ban

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