STELA Reauthorization Act of 2014
Floor Speech
Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose suspending the rules to pass H.R. 4572, the STELA Reauthorization Act.
In many rural areas--including large portions of my district--satellite television carriage of local stations is one of the only sources for up-to-the-minute news and weather. It is vital we maintain this link.
Currently, a number of counties in Nebraska are assigned to designated market areas based in another state. Consumers within these ``orphan'' counties, such as Cherry County, are unable to receive local broadcast programming from within the State of Nebraska.
While H.R. 4572 makes improvements to existing law, this satellite reauthorization is another missed opportunity to address the needs of orphan county consumers who wish to receive in-state broadcast programming over satellite. I am disappointed the STELA Reauthorization Act was again considered under suspension of the rules, whereby no member was able to address this issue on the floor through the amendment process.
It was my hope the House would consider satellite reauthorization under a rule which allowed us to consider proposals like H.R. 4635, the Orphan County Telecommunications Rights Act, of which I am a cosponsor. Under this legislation, orphan counties could petition the FCC to modify which channels are considered to be part of their local DMA.
Unfortunately, the current system for determining DMAs forces some of my constituents in Nebraska to watch local broadcast programming from cities in Colorado or South Dakota which are often hundreds of miles away.
I understand STELA must be reauthorized by the end of this year to ensure satellite television viewers have continued access to local stations. However, because I believe the STELA Reauthorization Act should have been brought up under a rule to enable us the opportunity to consider needed changes to the bill for my constituents, I would have opposed the motion to suspend the rules had a recorded vote been called.
Source