[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Pages 16189-16190]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   STELA REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2014

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of H.R. 5728.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 5728) to amend the Communications Act of 1934 
     and title 17, United States Code, to extend expiring 
     provisions relating to the retransmission of signals of 
     television broadcast stations, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, today the Senate will finally act to send 
legislation to the President's desk that will ensure that Vermonters 
and 1.5 million Americans across the country will continue to receive 
satellite television programming at the end of the year. The 
legislation reauthorizes the Satellite Television Extension and 
Localism Act, STELA, which creates a distant signal statutory license 
to receive broadcast television signals via satellite. This legislation 
is the product of four committees in the Senate and House. As chairman 
of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I worked with Senator Grassley on 
the copyright aspects of this legislation to focus on preventing 
disruption to consumers. Because of our work together, the Judiciary 
Committee unanimously reported its portion of this bill on June 26 and 
all of these provisions are in the bill the Senate will pass today.
  Sending this bill to the President shows the American people that 
Congress can come together in a bipartisan and bicameral fashion to 
pass legislation. Vermonters who rely on the distant signal license for 
their broadcast programming can rest easy today knowing that their 
existing television stations will not disappear from their screens come 
December 31.
  Over the years I have worked on the Judiciary Committee to ensure 
that all Vermonters have access to Vermont broadcast television 
stations. In previous reauthorizations, including STELA's most recent 
reauthorization in 2010, I have made it a priority to ensure that every 
Vermont satellite subscriber has the option to watch Vermont-focused 
programming. Local broadcast stations play an important

[[Page 16190]]

role in informing and fostering a sense of community. This is 
particularly true in a small State like mine. I am proud to have made 
sure that residents in every corner of Vermont will continue to have a 
choice to see Vermont news.
  The Judiciary Committee portion of this legislation reauthorizes the 
distant signal license for another 5 years. It is narrowly crafted to 
ensure that consumers do not see any disruption in service, but also 
designed to make sure that content holders who are paid royalties under 
this license continue to receive an annual cost of living adjustment 
beginning from the rate that is currently in place. The distant signal 
license is important to consumers. I recognize, however, that 
compulsory licenses do not always reflect the true market value of the 
content that is being licensed. The mechanisms to modestly increase the 
rate when appropriate remain in place. Through the Senate Judiciary 
Committee process, I worked with Senator Durbin, who offered a non-
controversial amendment to expand the carriage of low power television 
stations on cable systems. I was happy to support this amendment 
because improving the reach of these stations so that more viewers can 
see them will help to expand the diversity of voices available on 
cable. That is as important in Burlington, VT as it is in Chicago.
  I share the concerns of several Senators who wanted this legislation 
to do more to promote competition. It is unfortunate that the House of 
Representatives would not agree to the Senate's stronger language in 
this regard, but I was willing to compromise because the threat of 
letting the law expire was too great. The language in the bill we will 
pass today is better than what was in the original House bill. Overall, 
this legislation is a win for viewers in Vermont and across the 
country. I look forward to the President signing it into law.
  Mr. ROCKFELLER. Mr. President, the bill being considered by the 
Senate today represents what can happen through hard work on both sides 
of the aisle and in both chambers of Congress. The STELA 
Reauthorization Act of 2014 will make sure that 1.5 million Americans 
do not lose access to distant broadcast network signals at the end of 
the year. It also adopts a number of pro-consumer video policy reforms, 
many of which originated in the bill that Senator Thune and I worked 
diligently to pass through the Senate Commerce Committee. I am proud of 
this legislation, and pleased that it has garnered the unanimous 
support of both the House and the Senate.
  I know not everyone in this body agreed with all of the specific 
policy provisions in the bill before us. But such is the nature of 
legislative compromise. I was sympathetic with many of those policy 
concerns, but failing to reauthorize STELA and disenfranchising 
millions of television viewers simply was not an option. I appreciate 
my colleagues' recognition of this important fact.
  I want to thank Senator Thune, as always, for his willingness to work 
with me in a strong bipartisan manner throughout this year-long 
reauthorization effort. I also want to thank Senators Leahy and 
Grassley for their good work and contributions to this must-pass 
legislation. And I am grateful to Representatives Upton, Waxman, 
Walden, and Eshoo for working with us in good faith to find consensus 
on an eminently reasonable compromise bill.
  Of course, legislation of this magnitude does not come about without 
dedicated and savvy staff. So, we all owe a debt of gratitude to the 
tireless efforts of Ellen Doneski, John Branscome, Shawn Bone, David 
Quinalty, and Hap Rigby, as well as House Energy and Commerce staff 
David Redl, Grace Koh, Ray Baum, Shawn Chang, Margaret McCarthy, and 
David Grossman. Their commitment to public service is commendable, and 
the American people ultimately will benefit from their work.
  This legislation, and the debate around it, has started what I 
believe will be a lasting conversation about the future of the video 
marketplace. Today's action takes positive steps toward a more 
consumer-centric video policy in this country. More importantly, it 
also represents what can be accomplished when we all go about our 
business legislating in a practical and productive way.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
read three times and passed, and the motion to reconsider be considered 
made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 5728) was ordered to a third reading, was read the 
third time, and passed.

                          ____________________