[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Page 29691]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           SATELLITE HOME VIEWERS' ACT AND PATENT REFORM ACT

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I hope that the leadership will soon bring 
up for a vote the conference report regarding the Satellite Home 
Viewers Act and the Patent Reform Act. This legislation passed the 
House of Representatives by a vote of 411-8. According to an informal 
whip count, if it came to a vote in the Senate, it would pass by 
something like 98-2, and no worse than 95-5. So we ought to bring it up 
for a vote.
  I don't know when I have gotten so much mail on any subject as I have 
on satellite home viewing. If you come from a rural area, you know how 
important this legislation is. If we do not pass the Satellite Home 
Viewers Act, on December 31 hundreds of thousands--maybe millions--of 
satellite viewers will find that a number of their channels will be 
simply cut off, especially in rural areas.
  So when we have something that could easily be passed, we ought to do 
it. The patent legislation is supported--the so-called Hatch-Leahy 
bill--by most businesses I know. It would be a tremendous step forward 
in helping us to be competitive with the rest of the world in our 
patent legislation. It is also the second time in history that we have 
lowered the cost of patent registration to the taxpayers. So I urge 
that when we have a piece of legislation like this, which has passed 
the House of Representatives 411-8, which would pass overwhelmingly in 
the Senate, that the Republican leadership bring it up. Passing this 
bill will give some aid to many businesses throughout the country, 
including some of the finest technological businesses in the world.
  And on the satellite front, this bill will allow the many individuals 
who rely on satellite dishes because they live in rural areas to be 
able to continue to get their television.
  I think of States like my own State of Vermont, such as the State of 
Montana, the State of Texas, the State of Wyoming, and the State of 
Nevada, to name a few, where because of our rural nature, people are 
very dependent on satellite dishes. These satellite dish owners are 
justifiably concerned that on December 31, many of their channels are 
going to go dead. We can stop that by passing this legislation this 
week.
  The Satellite Home Viewers Act conference report will soon be before 
us. It passed overwhelmingly in the House, as it will here. I only know 
of two or three people who are opposed to it. That should not be enough 
to stop this bill.
  In fact, I will join with the majority leader if he wants to bring 
the satellite bill up and instantly file cloture. I could get him the 
necessary signatures in 20 seconds. I can guarantee him that if it was 
necessary--and I hope that it would not be--to vote cloture, he would 
get far more than the 60 votes necessary for it; 90 to 95 Members of 
the Senate want to pass this. I hope the distinguished majority leader 
will allow it to come to a vote.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Smith of New Hampshire). In my capacity as 
the Senator from New Hampshire, I ask unanimous consent that the quorum 
be rescinded.
  Without objection, it is so ordered.

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