Chairman Walden Wants to Circulate STELA Draft by First Quarter 2014

In prepared opening remarks for a hearing on video regulation, House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) signaled that he wanted to circulate a draft of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA) reauthorization bill, which also includes attendant video distribution licenses up for discussion, if not renewal, by the first quarter of next year.

The satellite distant-signal license expires at the end of 2014 and the last time Congress reauthorized it, the process took well over a year and extended past the Dec. 31, 2009 deadline. Chairman Walden suggested there was a need for overarching telecom regulation reform, saying that "The Telecommunications Act of 1996 is old enough to get its driver’s license, the Cable Act [of 1992] is old enough to drink alcohol legally, and the Communications Act of 1934 has long been eligible for Social Security." "This early stage of the process is a good time for us to take a larger look at the video marketplace," Chairman Walden said. "It takes time and process to develop good policy and even more to build consensus. Yet, the deadline for reauthorizing STELA looms large, and we must continue to make progress. With that in mind, I expect to circulate a discussion draft on these issues no later than the first quarter of next year. I am looking forward to continuing to engage with my colleagues and the many industries represented here today on these important issues."