[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 56 (Tuesday, May 10, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 10, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
              ACCESS TO SATELLITE RECEPTION OF TELEVISION

  Mr. HEFLIN. Mr. President, I rise to urge the Senate's expeditious 
consideration of S. 1485, legislation to ensure that home viewers will 
continue to have access to satellite reception of television. For 
81,000 people in Alabama and millions of people all across America, 
this legislation will protect their access to news information and 
entertainment services which connect them with the rest of the country 
and the world.
  I am proud to have been a cosponsor of the 1988 Satellite Home Viewer 
Act, which made possible the development of home satellite viewing, and 
believe that satellite technology has gone a long way toward reducing 
the gap between information haves and have-nots in our country. It is, 
therefore, quite alarming to be facing the expiration of the copyright 
license that has made the development of the home dish industry 
possible. At a time when Congress is all abuzz with talk of a new 
information superhighway, it would be unconscionable to leave our rural 
citizens worrying about whether they would have access to broadcast and 
cable programming next year.
  I therefore commend my distinguished colleague from Arizona [Senator 
DeConcini], the chairman of the Subcommittee on Patents, Copyrights and 
Trademarks in the Judiciary Committee, for introducing this much-needed 
legislation. I also join, and am pleased to join, with my distinguished 
colleague from Vermont, the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, 
in cosponsoring this bill and pledging my efforts to help pass it as 
soon as possible. I hope we can give immediate consideration to this 
matter and that it will be passed in the not too distant future.

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