WASHINGTON, DC –Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a ranking member of the  House Energy and Commerce committee asked Republicans made the following statement about the digital television transition provisions passed as part of the Republican budget:
“We need to bring the digital television transition to a timely conclusion and set a “hard date” for the cessation of analog television broadcasting.  Doing so will assist public safety entities in obtaining much-needed, cleared frequencies for their vital public safety mission and  free up frequencies for other wireless uses, such as broadband wireless services. 

 “Unfortunately, neither our public safety mission nor our DTV transition mission will be advanced by the digital television provisions in the Republican budget bill because it contains a badly flawed program for consumers whose televisions will go dark.  This failing means that the Republican “hard date” will be seen as a mirage – not a real deadline – because we can expect millions of angry constituents to demand extensions until we fix the consumer protection program.

 “The core of any digital TV bill we approve should ensure that the government does not engage in the unconstitutional practice of taking private property without just compensation.  The Republican DTV plan will render millions of perfectly good televisions inoperable without providing a practical way of turning them back on.  Essentially, this is a government-forced condemnation of private property, and I don’t believe my colleagues have thought through the ramifications of such an act.

 “Since the auction of the airwave frequencies that the television broadcasters return to the government is expected to raise at least $10 Billion, there’s more than enough money to make all affected consumers whole who are unfairly blacked out by this policy imposed from the top down.   

 “When the analog TV signals are ordered to be turned off by the government, consumers will be forced to buy converter boxes to continue to see television on their analog TV sets.  These boxes are estimated to cost at least $60, although there is no limit in the Republican plan on how much retailers can charge for them.  The Republican plan also places the onus on consumers to apply for up to two, $40 coupons from the government.   These coupons do not hold consumers harmless because even with the coupon the consumer is going to have a co-payment of $20, $30, or more.  In addition, this application process is a mechanism by which the poor and minorities typically do not fully take advantage. 

 “In short, this is a policy that has a disproportionate, negative effect on the elderly, the poor, and minorities.  The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has estimated that 21 million households rely solely on over-the-air broadcasting and these homes average two television sets per household.  One-third of all Hispanic households rely exclusively on free over-the-air television.  It is also estimated that there are as many as 73 million sets that are not connected either to cable or satellite.

 “The Republican digital TV plan that was approved today only makes $1.5 Billion available for the consumer converter box program, which will only cover some 33 million of the total 73 million affected TV sets.   Since the average household has 2.2 TV sets, if each of the 21 million free over-the-air household requested two coupons, the Republican plan simply runs out of money after 16.75 million households are covered. 

  “So, if you are one of the millions of consumers who has an analog TV clicker in one hand, you’d better have your other hand on your wallet – because the Republican Congress is coming after both.”