Green wants to delay Digital Television Transition until June

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Gene Green, last week, voted in favor of S. 352, the DTV Delay Act which will implement a one-time delay of the scheduled February 17 transition until June 12, 2009. The DTV Delay Act passed the House of Representatives 264-158 and will be sent to President Obama for his signature.

“There are over 2 million households still on the coupon waiting list, not to mention those that have expired coupons and will be unable to redeem them,” said Green. “In our district alone there are over 6,200 households still waiting to receive their coupons. Without this delay, millions of Americans will lose their service, and unfortunately most of these households are disproportionately low income, rural, and elderly Americans.”

Additionally, this bill will permit a consumer who never redeemed coupons or whose coupons expired to reapply for replacement coupons, and continues to make sure that households receive no more than two.

“It is clear that this legislation is needed. Since Monday, February 2, the size of the national waitlist grew by over 200,000 households,” said Green. “There were over 500 additional households in our district alone.”