Debbie Dingell: “with thanks I accept 2 minutes from my dear friend. First of all, Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the legislation.…”

“with thanks I accept 2 minutes from my dear friend. First of all, Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the legislation. Second of all, I congratulate my dear friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey), for his outstanding leadership in this matter. He has been long interested in this matter and has provided remarkably good leadership in this matter. I also commend my good friend from Michigan (Mr. Upton). He has served in this body with distinction and has provided extraordinary leadership here, also. I congratulate the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Barton) for his new position and for his leadership in shepherding H.R. 3717 through the committee process. This is a bill which is bipartisan; and the committee has worked well in a bipartisan fashion which does great credit to the Members, and particularly the leadership of the committee, for having done so. Our constituents are fed up with the level of sex and violence on television and radio, as well as the lax attitude of the Federal Communications Commission's handling of decency complaints. Clearly, the commission has been asleep at the switch for some time. The bill sets a deadline by which the commission must act on consumer indecency complaints. It raises the penalties for that kind of misbehavior.…”