Farmers lobbying on ‘clean’ satellite TV bill

Advocates for farmers are putting pressure on members of Congress to support a “clean” reauthorization of an expiring satellite TV law.

In July, the head of the South Dakota Farmers Union met with Sen John Thune (R-SD), the top Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee, and other lawmakers to urge them not to change broader TV licensing rules while extending the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA).

Changes to current law could hurt rural customers, Doug Sombke told Sen Thune, and shouldn’t be included in the 2014 “must-pass” bill.

“Senator Thune and many rural lawmakers are very aware of the situation and are sympathetic to the difficult position a STELA with stripped-down consumer protections could cause their constituents in rural America,” said Sombke, who is the head of the National Farmers Union legislative committee.