Rockefeller Backs June 12 DTV Switch
Commerce Committee Chairman Introduces Bill to Delay Switch for Four Months
By Ted Hearn -- Multichannel News, 1/15/2009 5:02:00 PM
Washington—Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, is sponsoring legislation that would delay the digital television transition until Friday, June 12, 2009.
“The outgoing Bush Administration has mismanaged this initiative and President-elect Obama has asked Congress to delay the date of the transition. Over two million Americans are waiting to receive a coupon to help them offset the cost of equipment that will help them manage the transition—millions more don’t have the proper information they need,” Rockefeller said in a statement.
Rockefeller said he introduced the bill Thursday.
It would call off the Feb. 17 transition date signed into law by President Bush in February 2006.
“It did not have to be this way. I firmly believe that our nation is not yet ready to make this transition,” Rockefeller said.
