Political Quotes

“I come to the floor today to voice my concern regarding the nomination of Ajit Pai to serve as a Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission. Many of my colleagues are planning to speak about the threat Mr. Pai poses to a free and open Internet, but what brings me to the floor is a different looming threat to the public interest: the proposed Sinclair Broadcast Group merger with Tribune Media Company. If approved, the Sinclair-Tribune merger would create the Nation's largest television broadcast company in history, reaching over 70 percent of households nationwide. There is reason for concern. Mr. Pai's track record at the FCC has shown that he will not hesitate to put the needs of industry ahead of the best interests of consumers. Under his leadership as Chairman, the FCC acted to reinstate an outdated loophole known as the UHF discount that would make it easier for companies to get around rules limiting national media ownership. These rules are essential in maintaining the trust Americans have placed in their local broadcasters and ensuring consumers benefit from programming representing diverse viewpoints. What was Mr. Pai's motivation for putting this loophole back in place? I will just say this: The loophole was reinstated in April, and Sinclair announced its acquisition of Tribune in May.…”