Setting them up to know them down
Not trying to be a wet blanket or anything, but now would be a good time to understand the difference between statuitory and procedural law. Statuitory law sets the rules. Procedural law determines how the rules are enforced.
Understand that the change allowing increased ownship levels is not being challenged. The enforcement of that rule is being challenged…but that's like not enforcing a rule that allows people to walk into a bank and pick up whatevercash is laying around.
This amendment is one the White House can safely opposed and later yield on.
House Panel Adds Voice to Opponents of Media Rule
By JACQUES STEINBERG
The recent decision by federal regulators to loosen media ownership rules, already under fire in the Senate, took another blow in Congress yesterday. This setback was dealt by the House Appropriations Committee, which approved a budget amendment that would make it harder for big broadcasting companies to acquire more television stations.
The vote represented a defeat for Michael K. Powell, the Federal Communications Commission chairman, who has led the effort to change the rules. It was also a rebuke to the Republican House leadership and the Bush administration, strong supporters of the commission's efforts.
A White House spokeswoman, Claire Buchan, said last night that the "president's senior advisers would recommend a veto" if a bill including the amendment ultimately reached his desk.
By a vote of 40 to 25, with 11 Republican members deserting their leaders to join the 29 Democratic committee members, the appropriations committee approved a measure that would
effectively block the commission from enforcing a new rule that would permit broadcasters to own stations that reach more total households across the country than they do now.
posted by Prometheus 6 at 7/17/2003 05:46:23 AM |
Posted by P6 at July 17, 2003 05:46 AM
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