Support Rolls In for Energy and Commerce Committee’s Bipartisan STELA Reauthorization

WASHINGTON, DC – The House Energy and Commerce Committee will vote today on bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the nation’s satellite television law. H.R. 4572, the STELA Reauthorization Act of 2014, will ensure that 1.5 million subscribers in hard-to-reach areas continue to receive vital broadcast programming.  Authored by Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), full committee Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Anna Eshoo (D-CA), the legislation will reauthorize STELA for a period of five years and make a number of targeted reforms to better meet the needs of today’s video marketplace.

Ahead of today’s vote on H.R. 4572, the following organizations expressed their strong support for the committee’s legislation:

“21st Century Fox supports this bipartisan compromise and thanks Chairmen Upton and Walden and Ranking Members Waxman and Eshoo for their hard work. We urge the committee to support this balanced legislation without amendment.”

- 21st Century Fox, May 7, 2014

“We write to commend you on your bipartisan agreement to reauthorize the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA). The ABC Television Network and our eight owned television stations support your agreement to move forward on the legislation. We urge the Committee to pass the bill free of amendments.  We appreciate the opportunity to share our views with the Committee throughout the legislative process, and we look forward to working with you as the legislation moves to the floor of the House of Representatives.”

- ABC / Disney, May 7, 2014

“ACA is very pleased with the STELA bill that is expected to receive approval from the full Energy & Committee on Thursday. ACA believes that the rules governing the retransmission consent marketplace need a major overhaul, and we’re very pleased to support the Committee’s STELA compromise bill that moves in the right direction regarding reform of the 22-year-old rules, which in no way reflect today’s market conditions.”

- American Cable Association, May 8, 2014

“We applaud Chairmen Upton, Walden and Ranking Members Waxman, Eshoo and the members of the Committee for their work on this legislation. The STELA bill poised to pass the Committee is an improvement on current law and addresses some of the concerns that ATVA has voiced.”

- American Television Alliance, May 7, 2014

“CBS is pleased to support the bipartisan STELA compromise authored by Chairmen Upton and Walden and Ranking Members Waxman and Eshoo and urges the Committee to approve it free of amendment.”

- CBS, May 7, 2014

“We support H.R. 4572, the ‘STELA Reauthorization Act of 2014,’ as an important step in Congress’ 2014 STELA reauthorization process. Critically, the legislation ensures continuity of service to more than 1.5 million distant signal subscribers who would, otherwise, lose service at the end of this year."

- DIRECTV & Dish Network, May 7, 2014

“We applaud the bipartisan leadership of Chairmen Upton and Walden and Ranking Members Waxman and Eshoo for moving this bill out of the full committee and to the House floor which extends expiring good faith obligations and makes modest video reforms that will yield significant consumer benefits. … We urge the full House and relevant Senate committees to quickly act on this must-pass legislation.”

- National Cable & Telecommunications Association, May 8, 2014

For a fact sheet on H.R. 4572, click HERE.

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