[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 58 (Tuesday, April 27, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H2311]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           TIME FOR REFORM OF THE SATELLITE HOME VIEWERS ACT

  (Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, the Second Congressional District of Nevada 
is a vast area containing about 110,000 square miles and 1.2 million 
people, many of whom are spread out over a large portion of rural 
Nevada.
  So today I rise to support meaningful reform of the Satellite Home 
Viewers Act. Every American, no matter where they live, deserves access 
to their local television networks. Our office has received thousands 
of phone calls and letters from frustrated constituents in my home 
State. These honest, hard-working Nevadans are frustrated over the 
current Federal law which prevents them from receiving local 
programming with a satellite dish. They often ask, ``Why will the 
Federal Government not let me watch my local news?'' The only answer is 
because of outdated, misconstrued Federal regulations.
  We need to reform the Satellite Home Viewers Act to reflect the 
changes in technology, to change the mistakes of the Federal Government 
and adhere to the needs of the American people. Today I urge my 
colleagues to join me in helping reform the Satellite Home Viewers Act.

                          ____________________