Jasper Packard: “I rise in support of H.R. 1554, the Satellite Home Viewer Act. Satellite television subscribers should have the same…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 1554, the Satellite Home Viewer Act. Satellite television subscribers should have the same rights as cable subscribers when it comes to receiving network broadcast signals. The Satellite Home Viewer Act will give satellite carriers the right to air local television broadcasts. This is very important to my district, where many citizens have to revert to purchasing a satellite dish for better reception. Without H.R. 1554, many still can't water their local news. They should be allowed to receive local television signals with a dish, just like they can with cable. H.R. 1554 will provide a discount on copyright fees for network programming. This levels the playing field between satellite and cable industries, in turn promoting competition and lowering the prices for consumers. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1554. It is time we open up the way for true cable competition and remove anti-customer barriers. Consumers have a right to greater choice of quality television programming.”