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Press Releases |
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Senate Approves Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act Title in Budget Reconciliation Conference Report
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WASHINGTON, DC – Today the United States Senate voted 51-50 to approve the Budget Reconciliation conference report which includes the Digital Transition title. The conference report will now be returned to the House of Representatives for its consideration, as the Senate made technical changes unrelated to the Digital Television title.
This title was negotiated by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The Senate version of the bill, the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005, was sponsored by Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).
“My good friend Joe Barton and I worked very closely on the DTV title of the bill,” said Chairman Stevens. “I found the Chairman to be easy to work with, especially because we agreed on the way to approach both deficit reduction and ensuring that public safety and consumers benefit from the digital transition in 2009. I’m glad he is on his way to a full recovery and I look forward to working with him on other DTV-related issues early next year, in addition to telecom re-write issues.”
Under its revised budget reconciliation instruction, the Senate Commerce Committee saves $7.363 billion for deficit reduction in the next five years, and spectrum auctions are considered to be the most viable method within the Commerce Committee’s jurisdiction to recover this revenue. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that auctions will raise a total of $10 billion, though several independent reports estimate that the auction would raise more than $20 billion. The title also extends auction authority to September 30, 2011.
The legislation establishes two specific dates that will advance the transition to a digital television (DTV) broadcast signal and improve public safety communications.
First, the Act requires broadcasters to vacate the analog portion of the public spectrum by February 17, 2009. From that date forward, public safety personnel will have access to the 24 MHz of spectrum recovered in the transition. Second, the legislation requires the auction of recovered spectrum by January 28, 2008.
The Commerce Committee, which authored the DTV section, originally approved the bill by a vote of 19-3 on October 20, 2005. The United States Senate approved the Act as part of the Budget Reconciliation Bill by a vote of 52-47 on November 3, 2005.
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22nd - |
Senate Approves Resolution Honoring Flight Deck Officer Program Participants
- Washington, D.C. – The Senate last night unanimously approved H.Con.Res. 196, honoring the pilots of United States commercial air carriers who volunteer to participate in the Federal flight deck officer program. This resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.-7) on June 30, 2005 and passed the House by a vote of 413-2 on December 7, 2005.
The resolut...
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21st - |
Senate Approves the Securing Cockpits Against Lasers Act
- WASHINGTON, DC – Today the U.S. Senate unanimously approved an amended version of H.R 1400, the Securing Aircraft Cockpits Against Lasers Act. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), offered an amendment to the bill, which was originally introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Ric Keller (R-Fla.). The legislation unanimously passed the House on December 7...
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21st - |
Senate Approves NASA Authorization Conference Report
- Washington D.C. - The Senate tonight unanimously approved the conference report to accompany S. 1281, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2005, clearing the measure for the President. The conference report authorizes NASA’s programs for fiscal years 2007 and 2008.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Scien...
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21st - |
Senate Approves FCC Nominees
- WASHINGTON, DC – Tonight the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the nominations of Deborah Taylor Tate and Michael Copps to be Commissioners on the Federal Communications Commission. On December 13, 2005, by unanimous consent, the Senate discharged the Senate Commerce Committee from further consideration of the Tate and Copps nominations. A hearing had been held on the nominees earlier that da...
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21st - |
current Press Release |
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21st - |
Senate Approves Maritime Administration Enhancement Act
- WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate today passed H.R. 1815, the National Defense Authorization Act Conference Report for Fiscal Year 2006 by voice vote. The conference report incorporates provisions originally included in the Maritime Administration Enhancement Act, S. 2029, reported by the Commerce Committee. The conference report establishes within the Maritime Administration (MARAD) a grant,...
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17th - |
Senate Approves NTSB and FTC Nominees
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Washington, D.C. - The Senate today confirmed by unanimous consent the following nominees, previously reported by the Senate Commerce Committee:
Mark Rosenker to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board
Kathryn Higgins to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board
William Kovacic to be a Commissioner for the Federal Trade Commission
J. Thomas Rosch to be a...
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17th - |
Senate Approves The Coast Guard Hurricane Relief Act
- Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate last night unanimously approved H.R. 4508, the Coast Guard Hurricane Relief Act, which provides Congress’s commendation, recognition and gratitude to Coast Guard personnel for their efforts in response to Hurricane Katrina. In addition, the bill authorizes the preservation of leave for those Guardsmen detailed to operations in response to Hurricane Ka...
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16th - |
Senate Approves Bill to Enhance Coral Reef Conservation
- WASHINGTON, DC – Late last night, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the "Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2005" (S. 1390), introduced by Senator Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and co-sponsored by Senators John Sununu (R-N.H.) and Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii).
The legislation, which reauthorizes and amends the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000 (CRCA), enhances the resources and ...
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15th - |
Commerce Committee Approves the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 2005
- Washington, D.C. – The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee today approved the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2005 by voice vote. The bill was introduced by Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), with Senators Trent Lott (R-Miss.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Bar...
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15th - |
Senate Commerce Committee Approves U.S. SAFE WEB Act
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Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation today reported S. 1608, the “Undertaking Spam, Spyware, And Fraud Enforcement With Enforcers Beyond Borders Act of 2005” (U.S. SAFE WEB Act of 2005) by unanimous consent. Senator Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) introduced the bill, which is co-sponsored by Co-Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), and Commit...
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13th - |
FCC Nominees Michael Copps and Deborah Taylor Tate Await Action by the Full Senate
- Prior to adjournment today, by unanimous consent the Senate discharged the Senate Commerce Committee from futher consideration of the nominations of Deborah Taylor Tate and Michael Copps to be Commissioners at the Federal Communications Commission. Their nominations are currently on the Senate Calendar and await action by the full Senate.
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