I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2566 
To provide American consumers information about the broadcast television 
transition from an analog to a digital format. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 5, 2007 
Mr. ENGEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To provide American consumers information about the broad-
cast television transition from an analog to a digital 
format. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Digital Tele-
vision Consumer Education Act’’. 
SEC. 2. LABELING AND CONSUMER EDUCATION. 
Section 330 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 330) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (e); and 
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(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(d) LABELING AND CONSUMER EDUCATION.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENTS
FOR
RETAIL
DISTRIBU-
TORS AND OTHER VENDORS.— 
‘‘(A) RETAIL
DISTRIBUTORS.—Any retail 
distributor of any television receiving equipment 
described in section 303(s) that does not in-
clude a digital tuner shall— 
‘‘(i) effective 90 days after the date of 
enactment of the National Digital Tele-
vision Consumer Education Act, place ad-
jacent to each unit of such equipment that 
such distributor displays for sale or rent a 
consumer alert as provided by the manu-
facturer pursuant to paragraph (2), except 
that such distributor shall not be required 
to affix such label to the television screen 
on such equipment, as long as the label 
is— 
‘‘(I) in the close vicinity of, and 
associated with, the unit on display; 
and 
‘‘(II) clearly visible to consumers; 
and 
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‘‘(ii) effective 90 days after the enact-
ment of the National Digital Television 
Consumer Education Act, provide informa-
tion to consumers, on signs and in pam-
phlet form, in the display area for product 
categories that include any television re-
ceiving equipment described in section 
303(s) that does not include a digital tuner 
television, sufficient to convey the informa-
tion carried in the consumer advisory label. 
Such signs and pamphlets shall also in-
clude information on recycling old tele-
visions, computer monitors, computer cen-
tral processing units, fax machines, and 
scanners and other consumer electronics. 
‘‘(B) OTHER VENDORS.—Effective 90 days 
after the date of enactment of the National 
Digital Television Consumer Education Act, 
any seller via direct mail, catalog, or electronic 
means, such as the Internet, of any television 
receiving equipment described in section 303(s) 
that does not include a digital tuner, shall in-
clude in clear and conspicuous print the con-
sumer alert required by paragraph (2) at the 
point of display for the apparatus, or, if there 
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is no display, at the point of sale. Such infor-
mation shall also include information on recy-
cling old televisions and other consumer elec-
tronics. 
‘‘(2) CONSUMER ALERT.—The consumer alert 
required by this paragraph shall display in clear and 
conspicuous print, the following consumer alert: 
‘‘Consumer Alert 
‘‘This TV has only an analog broadcast 
tuner and will require a converter box after 
February 17, 2009, to receive over-the-air 
broadcasts with an antenna because of the Na-
tion’s transition to digital broadcasting. The TV 
should continue to work as before with cable 
and satellite TV services, gaming consoles, 
VCRs, DVD players, and similar products. For 
more information, call the Federal Communica-
tions Commission at 1–888–225–5322 (TTY: 
1–888–835–5322) or visit the Commission’s 
digital television website at: www.dtv.gov. 
‘‘Nuncio Consumidor 
‘‘Esta TV tiene so´lo un sintonizador de 
emisio´n ana´logo y por lo tanto requerira´ una 
caja de conversio´n despue´s del 17 de febrero de 
2009 para recibir emisiones de TV terrestre con 
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una antena, debido a la transicio´n nacional a la 
emisio´n 
de 
TV 
digital. 
Esta 
continuara´ 
funcionando igualmente con TV por cable, 
sistema de TV sate´lite, consolas de juegos, 
videograbadoras, reproductores de DVD y 
productos 
similares. 
Si 
requiere 
ma´s 
informacio´n llame a la Comisio´n Federal de 
Comunicaciones al 1–888–225–5322 (TTY: 1– 
888–835–5322) o visite el sitio web de la 
Comisio´n en www.dtv.gov. 
‘‘(3) OTHER DEVICES.—For devices other than 
television sets that are included in section 303(s) 
and that contain an analog tuner, but not a digital 
tuner, the Commission shall require the clear and 
conspicuous placement of a comparable consumer 
advisory label on such devices, as well as on the out-
side of the retail packaging of such devices. 
‘‘(4) ADDITIONAL DISCLOSURES.— 
‘‘(A) ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NOTICES RE-
QUIRED.—From November 1, 2007, through 
March 31, 2009— 
‘‘(i) each television broadcaster shall 
air, at a minimum, 120 seconds per day of 
public service announcements between the 
hours of 6 a.m. and 11:35 p.m., at variable 
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time slots throughout the week, with at 
least half aired between the hours of 5 
p.m. and 11:35 p.m.; and 
‘‘(ii) any multichannel video program 
distributor shall include a notice in or with 
each periodic bill. 
‘‘(B) CONTENT OF ANNOUNCEMENTS AND 
NOTICES.—The announcements and notices re-
quired by this paragraph shall educate con-
sumers about the deadline for termination of 
analog television broadcasting and the equip-
ment options consumers have after such termi-
nation. Announcements aired and notices dis-
tributed after January 1, 2008, shall also edu-
cate consumers about the need for and avail-
ability of the converter box voucher program 
and the steps to redeem the voucher. 
‘‘(5) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 
‘‘(A) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Commission 
shall, after consultation with the National Tele-
communications and Information Administra-
tion and the Federal Trade Commission, create 
a DTV Transition Federal Advisory Committee 
to lead the effort to educate the public about 
the digital television transition and to ensure 
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that the public knows the information described 
in paragraph (3)(B). Such consumer education 
shall commence no later than January 1, 2008. 
‘‘(B) COMPOSITION.—The committee shall 
be composed of representatives from the fol-
lowing groups: commercial broadcasters, non-
commercial broadcasters, cable operators, sat-
ellite providers, retailers and manufacturers of 
consumer electronics equipment, electronic recy-
clers, minority groups, Hispanic Americans, 
Americans whose primary language is not 
English, Americans with disabilities, Americans 
living in rural communities, general business, 
senior citizens, commercial advertising, and 
consumers in general. 
‘‘(C) ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
ROLE.—The 
committee shall— 
‘‘(i) develop a comprehensive edu-
cation plan for consumers regarding the 
digital television transition which in-
cludes— 
‘‘(I) specific and targeted mes-
sages to reach various consumer con-
stituencies (such as low income, mi-
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norities, Spanish-speaking, and the el-
derly); 
‘‘(II) best methods to deliver the 
message to affected consumers; 
‘‘(III) 
implementation 
of 
the 
plan; 
‘‘(IV) website information and 
toll-free numbers; and 
‘‘(V) information on recycling old 
televisions and other consumer elec-
tronics; 
‘‘(ii) coordinate with stakeholders to 
ensure that the transition is properly im-
plemented; and 
‘‘(iii) report to Congress every 6 
months on how the transition is pro-
gressing. 
‘‘(D) FIRST MEETING.—The advisory com-
mittee shall conduct its first meeting within 60 
days after the date of enactment of the Na-
tional Digital Television Consumer Education 
Act. 
‘‘(6) COMMISSION INFORMATION SERVICES.— 
‘‘(A) TOLL-FREE
LINE
AND
WEBSITE.— 
The Commission’s toll-free number for con-
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sumers information and the Commission’s 
Internet website shall provide information con-
cerning the digital television transition, in the 
English and Spanish languages, not later than 
January 1, 2008. 
‘‘(B) ADVERTISING.—The Commission is 
authorized and required to use funds available 
for consumer information activities to obtain 
advertising in public transportation vehicles and 
facilities to provide information concerning the 
digital television transition.’’. 
SEC. 3. DIGITAL TELEVISION CONSUMER EDUCATION 
GRANT PROGRAM. 
Part C of the National Telecommunications and In-
formation Administration Organization Act is amended by 
inserting after section 158 (47 U.S.C. 942) the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 159. DIGITAL TELEVISION CONSUMER EDUCATION 
GRANT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Assistant Sec-
retary of Commerce for Communications and Information 
is authorized to establish a temporary grant program for 
the purpose of coordinating and leading a nationwide con-
sumer education and outreach campaign regarding Amer-
ica’s conversion to digital television. 
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‘‘(b) SINGLE GRANT.—No later than January 1, 
2008, and ending no earlier than March 31, 2009, the 
Assistant Secretary shall award a single grant from the 
program authorized by this section to one qualified entity. 
‘‘(c) QUALIFIED ENTITY.—For purposes of this sec-
tion, the term ‘qualified entity’ shall be a corporation, or-
ganized under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986, that represents the interests of local non-
commercial television stations at the national level, and 
consults with commercial broadcasters, consumer equip-
ment manufacturers, electronics retailers, cable and sat-
ellite operators, consumer groups, older Americans, His-
panic Americans, Americans whose primary language is 
not English, Americans with disabilities, and Americans 
living in rural communities. 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 
$20,000,000 for fiscal year 2008. Such sums are author-
ized to remain available subject to subsection (e). 
‘‘(e) TERMINATION.—Expenditures for the grant pro-
gram under this section shall terminate on March 31, 
2009.’’. 
Æ 
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