I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 661 
To provide additional coupons for the digital-to-analog converter box program 
and to expedite delivery of coupons under such program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 23, 2009 
Mr. BARTON of Texas (for himself, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. UPTON, Mr. TERRY, 
Mr. WALDEN, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. GINGREY of Georgia, 
Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. WHITFIELD, and Mrs. BLACKBURN) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce 
A BILL 
To provide additional coupons for the digital-to-analog con-
verter box program and to expedite delivery of coupons 
under such program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) After significant work educating the people 
of the United States about the February 17, 2009, 
digital television transition, efforts to delay the tran-
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
23:54 Jan 23, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H661.IH
H661
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
sition will confuse people, leaving them less, rather 
than more, prepared. Delay will— 
(A) not move a single consumer off of the 
waiting list for analog-to-digital converter box 
coupons; 
(B) require an additional appropriation of 
$650 million in the American Recovery and Re-
investment Act of 2009; 
(C) jeopardize the availability of the spec-
trum that the transition clears for police, fire-
fighters, and emergency personnel (spectrum 
that public safety officials stated 5 years to the 
day before September 11, 2001, they needed), 
and jeopardize that spectrum despite the sup-
port in the 2004 report of the 9/11 Commission 
for legislation setting an even earlier firm date; 
and 
(D) jeopardize the availability of the spec-
trum that the transition clears for advanced 
wireless services, perhaps our Nation’s best and 
quickest way to improve broadband deployment, 
stimulating the economy and creating job 
growth. 
(2) The program sending households up to 2 
coupons, each worth $40, to use for the purchase of 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
23:54 Jan 23, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H661.IH
H661
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
analog-to-digital converter boxes is not out of funds. 
Only approximately half of the $1.5 billion in the 
coupon program has been spent on redeemed cou-
pons; the other half remains in circulation, which is 
why there is a waiting list. Under current law, the 
coupons expire 90 days after issuance if not re-
deemed. Approximately 300,000 coupons expire 
every week, and the recouped funding is used to 
send more coupons. 
(3) In a January 14, 2009, letter, the Com-
merce Department said that the National Tele-
communications and Information Administration 
could immediately resume sending coupons even be-
fore existing ones expire if Congress authorized an-
other $250 million for the program. The Treasury of 
the United States might even recoup those funds be-
cause of unredeemed coupons that expire at the end 
of the program. 
(4) Industry has spent more than $1 billion 
successfully educating consumers about the transi-
tion and the February 17, 2009, transition date. Ac-
cording to Nielsen, as of the end of November 2008, 
approximately 93 percent of television households al-
ready had one or more televisions ready for the tran-
sition because the televisions had a digital tuner, 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
23:54 Jan 23, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H661.IH
H661
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
were connected to cable or satellite service, or were 
connected to a converter box. Approximately 83 per-
cent of television households had all their televisions 
ready. 
(5) Only households that rely exclusively on 
over-the-air antennas to receive television service and 
that do not have a digital television or a converter 
box are at risk of losing all television service. Ac-
cording to Nielsen, there are approximately 14.3 
million exclusively over-the-air households. The Na-
tional Telecommunications and Information Admin-
istration reports that it has already sent coupons to 
approximately 13.5 million households that identify 
themselves as relying exclusively on over-the-air an-
tennas. Thus, only 800,000 exclusively over-the-air 
households have not yet received a coupon. Approxi-
mately 600,000 of those households are on the wait-
ing list to receive a coupon. Authorizing an addi-
tional $250 million for the coupon program should 
help those households receive coupons before the 
transition date. 
(6) Based on these figures, only 200,000 house-
holds could lose all service if such households do not 
take action. Such households represent less than 2 
percent of exclusively over-the-air households, and 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
23:54 Jan 23, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H661.IH
H661
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
less than two-tenths of one percent of all television 
households. Such a small number of households with 
the potential to lose service is not reason enough to 
delay the transition. Government and industry can 
help households get coupons and converter boxes if 
such households want them, but a small group will 
always be unprepared no matter what the govern-
ment and industry do. In addition, households can 
always get a converter box without a coupon, either 
before or after the transition. The converter boxes 
only cost $40 to $80. Such households have addi-
tional options, as well, by which they can receive tel-
evision service. 
SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL COUPONS. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Section 3005 of the Digital Tele-
vision Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 (Public 
Law 109–171; 120 Stat. 23) is amended— 
(1) 
in 
subsection 
(b), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$1,500,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$1,750,000,000’’; 
and 
(2) in subsection (c)(3)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking ‘‘by 
substituting ‘$160,000,000’ ’’ and inserting ‘‘by 
substituting ‘$170,000,000’ ’’; and 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
23:54 Jan 23, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H661.IH
H661
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
(B) 
by 
striking 
‘‘by 
substituting 
‘$1,500,000,000’ ’’ each place it appears in sub-
paragraphs (A)(ii) and (B) and inserting ‘‘by 
substituting ‘$1,750,000,000’ ’’. 
(b) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
309(j)(8)(E)(iii) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 
309(j)(8)(E)(iii)) 
is 
amended 
by 
striking 
‘‘$7,363,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$7,113,000,000’’. 
SEC. 3. EXPEDITING DELIVERY. 
Not later than 7 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Assistant Secretary for Communications 
and Information of the Department of Commerce shall ex-
pedite the distribution of coupons issued under section 
3005 of the Digital Television Transition and Public Safe-
ty Act of 2005 by directing that such coupons shall be 
delivered via pre-sorted first class mail service until Feb-
ruary 17, 2009. The Assistant Secretary shall continue to 
direct that such coupons be delivered by such service sub-
sequent to such date if the Assistant Secretary determines 
that doing so will significantly improve coupon redemption 
rates without jeopardizing the availability of administra-
tive funds. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
23:54 Jan 23, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H661.IH
H661
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS
SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF AUCTION AUTHORITY. 
Section 309(j)(11) of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(j)(11)) is amended by striking 
‘‘2011’’ and inserting ‘‘2012’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
23:54 Jan 23, 2009
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H661.IH
H661
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with BILLS