III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 576 

Designating August 2008 as ‘‘Digital Television Transition Awareness 

Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 22, 2008 

Mr. HATCH (for himself, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. BIDEN, Mr. VOINOVICH, Mr. 

CORNYN, Mr. BURR, Mr. TESTER, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. 

SCHUMER, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. DORGAN, Mr. INHOFE, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. 

COLEMAN, Ms. CANTWELL, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. CRAIG, Mr. SANDERS, 

Mr. SPECTER, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. 

NELSON of Nebraska, Ms. SNOWE, Mr. LEAHY, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. 

CARDIN, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. WICKER, Mr. HAGEL, and Mrs. FEINSTEIN) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on the Judiciary 

JUNE 12, 2008 

Reported by Mr. LEAHY, without amendment 

JULY 11, 2008 

Considered, amended, and agreed to with an amended preamble 

RESOLUTION 

Designating August 2008 as ‘‘Digital Television Transition 

Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas, starting February 17, 2009, full-power television 

stations will shut down their traditional analog signals 

and will broadcast in digital only pursuant to the Digital 

Television Transmission and Public Safety Act of 2005 

(47 U.S.C. 309 note); 


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SRES 576 ATS 

Whereas some studies indicate that 64 percent of consumers 

know about the transition to digital television, and of 

those consumers 74 percent have major misconceptions 

about the impact of the transition on their television 

services; 

Whereas many consumers who are unaware of both the transition and the Government coupon program crafted to defray the cost of a converter box may be left without any 

television service after February 17, 2009; 

Whereas markets in the West and Mid-West have the highest 

percentage of consumers who rely on over-the-air television signals; 

Whereas the Salt Lake City, Utah, area has the single highest percentage of consumers who rely on over-the-air television signals among major cities in the United States, 

with nearly 23 percent of all households with television 

sets, more than 200,000 homes, relying on free analog 

television signals; 

Whereas more than 20 percent of homes with television sets 

in Fresno, California, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, also 

rely solely on free over-the-air television signals; 

Whereas the transition to digital television is significant to 

vulnerable populations such as senior citizens and low-income and minority households; and 

Whereas designating a ‘‘Digital Television Transition Awareness Month’’ will help Congress to encourage the development of local action plans focused on strategic outreach 

to the communities most affected by the transition to digital television, including senior citizens and residents of 

rural areas: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


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SRES 576 ATS 

1 (1) designates August 2008 as ‘‘Digital Tele2 vision Transition Awareness Month’’— 

3 (A) to increase public awareness regarding 

4 the February 17, 2009, transition to digital tel5 evision; and 

6 (B) to encourage consumers to become 

7 educated about the steps they need to take to 

8 retain their television service, including possibly 

9 participating in the Government coupon pro10 gram for obtaining converter boxes; 

11 (2) encourages consumers to make the transi12 tion to digital television well before February 17, 

13 2009; and 

14 (3) encourages local nonprofit organizations, 

15 such as religious congregations, scout troops, and 

16 school-based community service groups— 

17 (A) to assist households to apply for and 

18 obtain Government coupons and converter boxes 

19 and to install converter boxes; and 

20 (B) to educate consumers about Internet 

21 websites and other sources of valuable informa22 tion regarding the transition to digital tele23 vision. 

Æ 


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