[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 38 (Thursday, March 30, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1946-S1947]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  LAUNCHING OUR COMMUNITIES' ACCESS TO LOCAL TELEVISION ACT OF 2000--
                               Continued

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I will address the pending subject, local-
into-local broadcasting. At the end of the last session of Congress, 
there was some talk that in this session of Congress, this year, we 
would take up financing to help guarantee local-into-local television 
coverage in rural areas. Frankly, I wasn't happy with the way we were 
about to leave the last session of Congress, so I stood up on the floor 
and tossed a little bit of obstruction around until we got a firmer 
commitment that by a certain date we would bring up legislation in this 
body directed toward financing satellites or other entities so that we 
could provide local-into-local coverage throughout our country. I am 
very happy now that this bill is before us. As a consequence of the 
deference of myself and others, we are now here.
  Very simply, the need for this is extremely important. This chart 
shows markets that aren't now covered and will be covered under the 
basic bill to be passed. There aren't very many of them. The red dots 
depict areas where people can get local-into-local coverage. There are 
210 TV markets in our country. You can tell that the red dots don't 
number 210. In fact, they number something much less than that. I might 
say that number 210 happens to be right up here--Glasgow, MT. Butte, I 
think, is 167, and there is Billings. We have a bunch of TV markets in 
our State, but they are nowhere near where the read dots are.
  With the passage of last year's bill, 67 markets will have coverage. 
Only 67 of the 210 markets will eventually get coverage and have local-
into-local television coverage. Thirty-five percent of the homes in my 
State would receive video programming through satellite. Our State 
flower is the bitterroot, but we have a new State flower now, the 
satellite dish, because we in Montana have the highest per capita 
utilization of satellite dishes--more than any other State in the 
Nation. Montanans per capita have more satellite dishes. It is because 
Montana is so big. We are a rural State. There are only about 900,000 
people in our State, with about 147,000 square miles. You can see why 
satellite dishes are so important. But because we are so rural and 
because so many other States are so rural, we are not getting local 
satellite coverage. It stands to reason because the satellite companies 
are going to give the coverage to the greatest markets where they will 
make the most money, as well they should. Companies are there to get 
the highest rate of return. So they are going to go where they can make 
the greater returns, and that is going to be the cities.

  It is only fair that the rest of America also be wired in. That is 
why I think this bill is so important. It will take a few years to 
accomplish it, but at least we will get there.
  What are the reasons for having it? One is to find out what your 
local team is doing.
  Here is a chart. This is the University of Montana Grizzlies. Most 
folks like to know how the home team did. If you don't get local-to-
local satellite coverage, it is pretty hard to know. You might be able 
to find out for New York, Denver, or Florida. But when you are from a 
smaller community and a smaller town, you only care about the local 
team. You can't get it now with satellite coverage in my State of 
Montana and in most places.
  Maybe it is not the local team. Maybe it is weather conditions. Is a 
storm coming? What is the weather report? Our State sometimes has 
blizzards. Sometimes it snows--not very often. Most people think 
Montana is awfully cold; that we have a lot of snow. Montana is really 
not very cold. It doesn't snow that much. But every once in a while it 
snows. We kind of like to know every once in a while when it is going 
to happen. So we need local notice. Local-to-local is critical 
throughout our country.
  The final point I will make is demonstrated by this chart. This shows 
how well the Rural Utilities Service, a branch of USDA, is already 
serving America--the telephone cooperatives, and with the power 
cooperatives around the State. RUS is a loan guarantor. It guarantees 
loans for wastewater proposals, for electric distribution, 
transportation, telecommunications, telephone, and distance learning. 
It guarantees loans to finance operations to build these 
infrastructures all over the country.
  The basic point is a very simple one. We have an organization in 
place. It is serving America well. Why not allow the Rural Utilities 
Service to, essentially, be the agency that provides the additional 
loan guarantees for satellites and to give assistance to rural areas?
  The underlying bill before us sets up a board to do all of this. I 
submit that another board and another level of bureaucracy does not 
make sense. We already have an organization that is doing it. Also, 
this RUS organization has a very good record. In fact, in the last 50 
years, the Rural Utilities Service has not had one loan loss in its 
telecommunications program--not one. That is indicated by the green 
dots scattered throughout the country.
  When we finally pass this legislation, remember that we already have 
an agency doing a good job.
  I also urge adoption of the pending amendment offered by Senator 
Johnson, which adds the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance 
Corporation as another lender in addition to FDIC-insured banks. I 
think it is helpful to have that availability. We are more likely to 
get the financing.

  I must also say that I hope we include in the underlying legislation 
a provision which encourages the loan guarantors at the lending 
institutions to finance new satellite operations not only for local-to-
local coverage but also to help in the availability of broader 
bandwidth and higher-speed Internet connections because we have the 
opportunity now while we are providing satellite service for local use 
to also say: OK, maybe we should also give some consideration to 
wireless, broad bandwidth, and higher-speed access to the Internet 
because clearly that is the way of the future. Many of the urban parts 
of our country have broad bandwidths. It is 10 times more expensive, 
but they have it.
  In addition, many companies are competing vigorously to provide this 
service all across the country. They are doing it the good old American 
way--based on a profit motive. That is great. That is what built 
America. But a consequence is that rural America often doesn't get near 
the same coverage as urban America for the same reason, that satellite 
companies are not providing local-to-local to America; namely, because 
it doesn't pay nearly as well in rural America as it does in urban 
America.
  I am saying that whoever makes the decision, I hope it is not the 
board. But

[[Page S1947]]

if it is the board, give them incentives to provide financing and 
guarantee financing for satellite companies. It could be perhaps a 
cable company. It might even be a telephone company that would provide 
local-to-local cable service. But also they would be in a position to 
more quickly provide broad bandwidth to the same area.
  That is the sum and substance of what I hope we do. I think it makes 
a lot of sense.
  For those Senators who have some questions about some of these 
points, I am more than willing to sit down and try to work out some of 
the details. Some of the details can be worked out in conference as 
well. But let us not let perfection be the enemy of good.
  I think these are pretty good ideas. They are not perfect, but they 
are good. I urge my colleagues to work together to try to incorporate 
these provisions.
  I thank the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The distinguished Senator from California is 
recognized.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I would like to speak in morning 
business for a time not to exceed 10 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Thank you very much, Mr. President.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California is recognized.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. I thank the Chair.
  (The remarks of Mrs. Feinstein pertaining to the introduction of S. 
2328 are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced 
Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I yield the floor and I suggest the 
absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative assistant proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. WYDEN. I ask consent to speak for up to 15 minutes as in morning 
business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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