Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this hearing. As you know, our country is in the midst of an important transition from analog to digital television broadcasting. Along with many of my colleagues, I believe that the transition is progressing much more slowly than we had originally expected. I hope that this hearing is the first of several hearings to explore the issues confronting the transition.

As a result of broadcast television's migration from analog to more efficient digital technology, the public will realize numerous benefits, including high definition television and a greater selection of over-the-air programming. Equally important, 108 megahertz of spectrum will be recovered for use by other services, including public safety and advanced video and data services. In particular, this spectrum will provide a major boost towards the goal of broadband services for all Americans. However, and this point is particularly important, this spectrum will not become available for such new uses until the transition is deemed complete and the broadcasters return their analog broadcast spectrum.

In the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, Congress prescribed that analog broadcast facilities would be turned off on December 31, 2006, or when 85 percent of television households had the capability to receive digital programming. For this reason, one of the critical tasks confronting the FCC is implementing this provision of the 1997 statute.

And let me make clear what is at stake as we continue to delay reclaiming the analog broadcast spectrum. First, 24 megahertz of this spectrum has been set aside for public safety purposes, and making such spectrum available for such purposes is clearly important to protecting our citizens and permitting public safety entities to perform their mission safely and efficiently. Second, the remaining spectrum is needed to satisfy the growing demand in the marketplace for wireless products and services. Continued delay only serves to inhibit the ability of innovative companies to address this marketplace demand and to dampen the ability of such companies to attract capital and create jobs.

The Committee and the FCC should pay close attention to many other pressing issues where a lack of resolution continues to slow the transition. For example, the FCC in certain instances has been unable to grant construction permits or, in other instances, permit stations to broadcast at maximum power levels because of potential interference with Canadian and Mexican transmitters. This paralysis is hurting local broadcasters in several states, including Michigan, and I would like to see the FCC work to resolve such questions in a far more expeditious fashion.

In rural areas, local broadcasters rely upon networks of repeaters and translators to cover their vast market areas. The FCC has not yet authorized their upgrade to digital, and this is hampering the transition, particularly in rural markets.

Finally, the FCC must move forward and create a final DTV table of channel assignments. Such action will require moving stations out of channels 52-69 and into the narrower "core" broadcast band of channels 2-51. I understand that the MSTV plan, currently before the FCC, has near unanimous industry support, and I urge the FCC to make a decision on this question as soon as possible.

Mr. Chairman, I look forward to working with you and all the Members of this Committee as we examine the digital transition and, if need be, consider legislation in this area.