DTV Delay Act
Floor Speech
DTV DELAY ACT -- (House of Representatives - February 04, 2009)
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
I probably will not take the 3 minutes, but I thank him for his leadership on the committee. As well, I thank the chairman of the full committee, Mr. Waxman.
Mr. Speaker, this is an important issue. In my district, at least, it is very important. This is not an academic issue. It is very important. I am pleased that we now have another chance to pass this vitally important bill, because it has become increasingly clear that, with the digital transition deadline looming just days away, literally millions of Americans are at risk of being left in the dark.
With an estimated 6.5 million households still unprepared for the digital transition, it is clear that a short delay is necessary. There are 6,000 households on the waiting list for converter box coupons in my district alone, and that number grows daily. So a short implementation delay is necessary, and I do not see the problem in granting this request.
Without a delay, many of these people would be without television service and would be at risk in the event of a disaster or of a national emergency. I represent a rural area where many people rely on over-the-air television broadcasts. So this issue is particularly important for districts like mine. People clearly need more time to learn just what this transition will mean for them.
The distinguished ranking member of the committee says that they have had enough time and that there are procedures in place for making it happen, but people need more time to learn. Even my constituents who manage to buy the box could still be left without a signal. Analog signals travel further than digital signals, and many people may still need a new digital antenna to receive the signal.
So, Mr. Speaker, in closing, I wish the Energy and Commerce Committee had the opportunity to mark up this bill, because I believe there are still some issues that are unresolved in the legislation. However, I strongly support this bill as it is written, and I look forward to its swift passage this afternoon so that consumers can be given more time to prepare for this tremendous change in their lives.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source