Carson Supports DTV Transition Extension
February 4, 2009
February 4, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman André Carson spoke on the House Floor in support of S. 352, the Digital TV Delay Act. S. 352 implements a one-time delay of the scheduled February 17 elimination of analog television broadcasting until June 12. Passage of the bill by the House today will send it to the President's desk for his signature. Below are Congressman Carson's remarks on S. 352.
"Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation and extending the DTV transition deadline.
"As a father, I try and limit how much television my daughter watches. However, that does not mean I want to completely deny her access to this informative medium.
"But that's exactly what the minority would have us do here today. They would have us deny television access to millions of Americans. Americans who rely on TV not only for their entertainment but for their safety.
"Mr. Speaker, two major winter storms have passed through my district in the last two weeks. And thousands of people stayed off the icy roads during these storms because of the winter advisory alerts that went out on our local TV affiliates in Indianapolis. By having access to these alerts, thousands of my constituents were able to remain safe.
"So I would implore the minority not to politicize this issue. This is a serious issue that demands we act swiftly and responsibly. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation and I yield back the balance of my time."
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