Stevens Says DTV Bill Markup By Oct. 25

Could it be? A hard date for a mark-up for legislation aimed at setting a hard date for ending the transition to digital television? During the Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Communications during Disasters, Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) said that a DTV transition bill will be ready for mark-up by the budget committee Oct. 25. The Commerce Committee will mark-up the bill Oct 19. Actually, there will be two bills, one dealing strictly with spectrum-reclamation -- per rules governing money bills -- and another with other DTV-related issues. Sen Stevens also assured his committee that 24 mHz of that reclaimed analog spectrum will go to first responders.
(free access for Benton's Headlines subscribers)