3.0.0 1497 2023-01-15T06:17:48Z 2023-01-15T06:17:48Z Senate S S 2003-07-30 108 sscm00 Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Senate Standing Referred to 2003-07-30T22:19:03Z 2003-07-30 sscm00 Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Senate Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10272-10275) IntroReferral 2003-07-30 Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10272) IntroReferral B00100 9 Library of Congress 2003-07-30 Introduced in Senate IntroReferral 10000 9 Library of Congress M000303 Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ] JOHN MCCAIN R AZ SIDNEY N F000061 Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI] RUSSELL FEINGOLD D WI D. 2003-07-30 True D000563 Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] Richard Durbin D IL J. 2003-07-30 True C001042 Sen. Corzine, Jon S. [D-NJ] JON CORZINE D NJ S. 2003-09-04 False Science, Technology, Communications Campaign funds Checkoff Congress Congressional elections Democratic Party Government Operations and Politics Law License agreements Political parties Politicians Presidential elections Press and politics Radio in politics Republican Party Tax returns Taxation Television in politics Science, Technology, Communications 00 2003-07-30 Introduced in Senate 2003-09-10T20:34:53Z Our Democracy, Our Airwaves Act of 2003 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the lowest unit charge for radio or television broadcast time to a national committee of a political party acting on behalf of a candidate for public office. Prohibits a licensee of a broadcasting station, except under circumstances beyond its control, from preempting the use of such station by an eligible candidate or political committee who has paid for such use. Requires audits of stations to ensure the provision of broadcasting advertising time for political candidates. Provides minimum time requirements for candidate- or issue-centered broadcasts by stations.

Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish and administer a voucher program for the purchase of airtime for political advertisements on radio and television broadcast stations by eligible candidates and political party committees as certified by the FCC. Provides maximum voucher amounts for both candidates and political committees. Allows such vouchers to be used exclusively for the purchase of airtime; but allows the transfer of vouchers between a political party and a candidate and vice versa. Requires the FCC to redeem all vouchers accepted by such stations. Provides for voucher expiration. Directs the FCC to establish the Political Advertising Voucher Account and to collect and deposit into it an annual spectrum use fee based on a percentage of a station's gross revenues. Directs the FCC to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to establish a standardized form for use by broadcasting stations to record and report the purchase of advertising time by or on behalf of a candidate for nomination for election, or for election, to Federal elective office.

]]> Our Democracy, Our Airwaves Act of 2003 Display Title Our Democracy, Our Airwaves Act of 2003 Official Title as Introduced A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to revise and expand the lowest unit cost provision applicable to political campaign broadcasts, to establish commercial broadcasting station minimum airtime requirements for candidate-centered and issue-centered programming before primary and general elections, to establish a voucher system for the purchase of commercial broadcast airtime for political advertisements, and for other purposes. Introduced in Senate IS Short Titles as Introduced Our Democracy, Our Airwaves Act of 2003 Introduced in Senate 2003-07-30T04:00:00Z 2003-07-30 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10272-10275) text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress This file contains bill summaries and statuses for federal legislation. A bill summary describes the most significant provisions of a piece of legislation and details the effects the legislative text may have on current law and federal programs. Bill summaries are authored by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) of the Library of Congress. As stated in Public Law 91-510 (2 USC 166 (d)(6)), one of the duties of CRS is "to prepare summaries and digests of bills and resolutions of a public general nature introduced in the Senate or House of Representatives". For more information, refer to the User Guide that accompanies this file.