Watson Coleman: “I am disappointed that an objection has been raised. I intended to offer amendment No. 2189, which is at the desk. It is…”

“I am disappointed that an objection has been raised. I intended to offer amendment No. 2189, which is at the desk. It is a Coleman, DeMint, Thune, Inhofe amendment which would prohibit the FCC from reinstating the fairness doctrine. I am not asking for a vote at this time. I only want an amendment to be put into the queue. Just recently, the House dealt with a similar amendment. That amendment passed the House with over 300 votes in favor. The vote was 309 to 115. My amendment says that the FCC would not be able to reinstate the fairness doctrine. It says: The Commission shall not have the authority to prescribe any rule, regulation, policy, doctrine, or other requirement that has the purpose or effect of reinstating or promulgating in whole or part the requirement that broadcasters, including the Armed Forces Network, present opposing viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance, commonly referred to as the fairness doctrine. There is nothing fair about the fairness doctrine. In the past few weeks, there has been discussion among some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle who have said very publicly that it is time to reinstate the fairness doctrine. We have troops in the field of combat today putting their lives on the line and part of what we protect in this country is the first amendment--is freedom of speech. The fairness doctrine amendment is a relic of a bygone past. It was tossed on the ash heap of history in 1987.”