DTV Transition Assistance Act

A bill to make a technical correction to section 3009 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.

7/30/2008--Public Law. (This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on June 19, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.) DTV Transition Assistance Act - Amends the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 (title III of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005) with respect to the low-power television and translator digital-to-analog conversion program. Requires the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information of the Department of Commerce to determine whether the full amounts provided from the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Fund will be needed for payments to eligible low-power TV stations toward purchase of a digital-to-analog conversion device to convert the incoming digital signal of their corresponding full-power TV station to analog format transmission on the low-power TV station's analog channel. Permits the Secretary to make adjustments to such determination from time to time. Authorizes the Assistant Secretary, if such full amounts are not needed, to use the remaining amount for consumer education and technical assistance regarding the digital television (DTV) transition and the availability of the digital-to-analog converter box program (in addition to any pre-existing amounts expended for such purpose). Allows the use of such funds for partnering with, providing grants to, and contracting with non-profit organizations or public interest groups in achieving these efforts. Requires the Assistant Secretary, if such education program is initiated, to develop a plan to address the educational and technical assistance needs of vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens, individuals residing in rural and remote areas, and minorities, including, where appropriate, education plans focusing on the need for analog pass-through digital converter boxes in areas served by low-power or translator stations. Requires the Assistant Secretary also to consider the speed with which these objectives can be accomplished to the greatest public benefit. Amends the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 to extend through FY2012 the requirement for the Assistant Secretary to make payments from the Fund to implement a program to reimburse each licensee of an eligible low-power television station for equipment to upgrade low-power television stations from analog to digital in eligible rural communities. Requires such reimbursements to be issued to eligible stations on or after February 18, 2009 (currently, no earlier than October 1, 2010).

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Sponsor

• Sen. Olympia Snowe [R, ME]
• and 4 Co-Sponsors
  • Sen. Maria Cantwell [D, WA]
  • Sen. Claire McCaskill [D, MO]
  • Gordon Smith
  • Ted Stevens
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Committees

• House Energy and Commerce
• 1 more
  • Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
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Amendments

This bill has 1 amendments. See All AmendmentsHide All Amendments

Amendments to S.2607

Number	Status	Purpose
S.Amdt.5014	Pass	In the nature of a substitute.

Bill Status

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Introduced		Voted on by Senate		Voted on by House		Considered By President		This Bill Has Become Law
February 07, 2008		June 19, 2008		July 09, 2008		July 30, 2008		July 30, 2008

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All Bill Actions

• Signed on Jul 30, 2008.
• Enacted on Jul 30, 2008. Became Public Law No: 110-295.
• Jul 22, 2008. Presented to President.
• Passed by voice vote in the House on Jul 09, 2008. On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
• Jul 09, 2008: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2607.
• Jul 09, 2008: Mr. Hill moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
• Jul 09, 2008: Considered under suspension of the rules.
• Jul 09, 2008. Cleared for White House.
• Jun 20, 2008: Received in the House.
• Jun 20, 2008: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
• Jun 20, 2008: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
• Jun 19, 2008: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
• Passed by Unanimous Consent in the Senate on Jun 19, 2008. Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
• Jun 10, 2008: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye without amendment. With written report No. 110-348.
• Added to calendar on Jun 10, 2008: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 774..
• Added to calendar on Apr 24, 2008: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably..
• Apr 24, 2008: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
• Apr 24, 2008: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Date of scheduled consideration. SR-253. 10:30 a.m.
• Apr 02, 2008: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Date of scheduled consideration. SR-253. 2:30 p.m.
• Feb 07, 2008: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S790)
• Feb 07, 2008: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
• Introduced on Feb 07, 2008.

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Related Bills:

• H.R.5696

Related Issue Areas:

• Telecommunication
• Equipment and supplies
• Rural affairs
• Television stations
• 7 more
• Aged
• Budgets
• Consumer education
• Consumers
• Grants-in-aid
• Minorities
• Television broadcasting

Data from the Congressional Research Service

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Blog Coverage

December 09, 2008 Testimony of Dr. Bernadette McGuire-Rivera Associate Administrator ...

approved a bill introduced by Senator Snowe (S. 2607) that would make the necessary. technical correction to the Program. NTIA urges the House to take favorable action on. this legislation as soon as possible. ...

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Source: NTIA

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October 10, 2008 New government documents in Milner Library, September 2008

Call No: Y 1.1/5:110-348, Title: Technical Correction to the Deficit Reduction Act : report of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on S. 2607. Author: United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Commerce, Science, ...

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Source: Government Documents

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August 12, 2008 DownsizeDC.org

DTV Transition Assistance Act: S. 2607, to make a technical correction to section 3009 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005-clearing the measure for the President; 2 pages. Kenneth James Gray Post Office Building Designation Act: H.R. ...

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