I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2700
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal
Communications Commission to establish an office on victims of media bias.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 1, 2001
Mr. ENGEL (for himself, Mr. RUSH, and Mr. HONDA) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the
Federal Communications Commission to establish an of-
fice on victims of media bias.
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 ‘‘Ethnic, Minority, and
Gender Bias Clearinghouse Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF ETHNIC AND MINORITY AF-
FAIRS SECTION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 5 of the Communications
Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 155) is amended by inserting after
subsection (e) the following new subsection:
‘‘(f) OFFICE ON VICTIMS OF MEDIA BIAS.—
‘‘(1) OFFICE REQUIRED.—There shall be estab-
lished within the Commission an office on victims of
media bias. For the purposes of this subsection, the
term ‘victims of media bias’ includes persons or
groups who have been or may be discriminated
against in their depiction or employment in broad-
casting based on their race, ethnicity, religion, sex,
sexual orientation, disability, age, or other char-
acteristic.
‘‘(2) FUNCTIONS
OF
OFFICE.—The office on
victims of media bias shall—
‘‘(A) establish a clearinghouse for com-
plaints, grievances, and opinions relating to
radio, television, and cable television broadcast
programming and their depiction of victims of
media bias;
‘‘(B) collect, analyze, and prepare informa-
tion from public and private agencies relating to
the portrayal of victims of media bias by radio,
television, and cable television broadcast enter-
tainment and news programming, and furnish
such information, upon request and without
charge, to public and private agencies that
serve the needs and interests of such victims;
‘‘(C) collect, analyze, and prepare informa-
tion from public and private agencies relating to
the employment of victims of media bias in the
production of radio, television, and cable tele-
vision broadcast entertainment and news pro-
gramming, and furnish such information on the
Internet, and upon request and without charge,
to public and private agencies that serve the
needs and interests of such victims;
‘‘(D) conduct an annual conference which
shall be designed to focus public attention upon
the images of victims of media bias depicted by
radio, television, and cable television broadcast
programming, discuss the impact which these
images have on such victims, and encourage the
participation of such individuals and public and
private organizations that serve the interests of
such victims; and
‘‘(E) prepare and transmit to Congress an
annual report which details the activities of the
office on victims of media bias, including a com-
pilation of all complaints, grievances, and opin-
ions filed under paragraph (A).
‘‘(3) ADVISORY
COMMITTEE
REQUIRED.—The
chairman of the Commission shall establish an advi-
sory committee to assist the office on victims of
media bias in implementing the annual conference
pursuant to paragraph (1)(D). The advisory com-
mittee shall be composed of 15 members chosen
from among radio and television broadcasters and
program producers, educators, representatives from
the mental health community, and leaders from com-
munities of victims of media bias.’’.
(b) TIME LIMIT.—Not later than 90 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall estab-
lish the office referred to in section 5(f) of the Commu-
nications Act of 1934 as amended by this Act.
SEC. 3. SAVINGS PROVISION.
Nothing in this Act shall authorize or allow the Fed-
eral Communications Commission or any other govern-
ment agency to regulate or otherwise control the content
of news or entertainment programming on radio, tele-
vision, cable television, or in print media. This Act in no
way is intended to diminish the protection of free speech
and the press guaranteed under the First Amendment to
the Constitution of the United States.
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