Dorgan, 24 Other U.S. Senators Tell Martin to Postpone FCC Media Ownership Rules Vote Set For December 18 or They'll Work To Nullify It

Monday, December 17, 2007

Click here to read the letter sent to Chariman Martin.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) --- A bi-partisan group of 25 U.S. Senators, led by U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) notified Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin Monday that if he goes ahead as planned with a scheduled December 18 vote on his proposal to allow further concentration of media ownership, they will move legislation to revoke the rule and nullify the vote. In addition to Dorgan, 24 other Senators signed the letter including Senators Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) and Ted Stevens (R-AK), the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Commerce Committee, which has legislative jurisdiction over the FCC. Dorgan is also a member of the Commerce Committee. Dorgan said Martin's timetable short changes the public by not allowing enough time for public comment on the new rule. Martin plans to vote on the new rule tomorrow, just a month after he issued his proposed rule changes. His proposal would allow more concentration of ownership of broadcast stations and newspapers in the same market. Dorgan said the FCC did not allow nearly enough time for public comment on proposed rules before a vote on an issue this important and this controversial. In a letter to Martin the Senators said they were writing to notify him that if he goes ahead with the December 18 vote they will "immediately move legislation that will revoke and nullify the proposed rule. We are notifying you and others of this proposed action in order to make certain you understand the consequences of ignoring the need for and the right of the American people to play a constructive role in attempts by a federal agency to change rules that have substantial impact on the American people. "In light of this, we request and expect that you will postpone the action scheduled for December 18, 2007." The Senate Commerce Committee has already unanimously approved legislation requiring Martin to defer action on December 18, a vote Martin has so far ignored. "When you proposed a new rule on the effects of communications towers on migratory birds, you allowed for a 90 day comment period. How could you decide to allow 90 days for a migratory bird rule and then shortchange the public on the media ownership rule?" the senators asked in their letter to Martin. The letter was signed by Senators Dorgan (D-ND), Inouye (D-HI), Stevens (R-AK), Snowe (R-ME), Lott (R-MS), Kerry (D-MA), Wyden (D-OR), Cantwell (D-WA), Conrad (D-ND), McCaskill (D-MO), Pryor (D-AR), Lincoln (D-AR), Casey (D-PA), Feinstein (D-CA), Reed (D-RI), Sanders (I-VT), Feingold, (D-WI) Tester (D-MT), Boxer (D-CA), Obama (D-IL), Dodd (D-CT), Craig (R-ID), Biden (D-DE), Clinton (D-NY), and Nelson (D-FL).

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