[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 79 (Wednesday, June 17, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H4639]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES OF FREE AIR TIME

  (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, as we continue to debate campaign finance 
reform some of my colleagues continue to press for free air time. Some 
of the legislation we will be considering requires broadcasters to sell 
time to candidates at 50 percent below the already discounted rate. I 
really do not think they have carefully considered the consequences of 
this issue.
  The first problem is that it will not necessarily reduce campaign 
spending. What would stop a candidate from buying twice as many spots?
  Secondly, the glut of commercials will simply turn voters off. A 
survey by Opinion Research Corporation last year showed that 61 percent 
of adults do not want more campaign ads on TV or radio.
  What do they want? They want more debates and news coverage, all of 
which are currently provided by broadcasters for free.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress needs to take a step back, let the voters 
decide and allow the best candidate to win.

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