,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #hif  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(            
,,repres5tatives  ,janu>y #cj1 #bjai,ms4
 ,kaptur 7= h]self1 ,ms4 ,norton1 & ,mr4
 ,sean ,patrick ,maloney ( ,new ,york7  
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce  ,a  
,,bill  ,to am5d ! ,communications ,act 
( #aicd to require radio & television   
broadca/]s to provide free broadca/+ "t 
= political adv]tis+1 & = o!r purposes4 
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,fairness 9 ,political ,adv]tis+ ,act 
( #bjai4  #b4 ,allocation to political  
c&idates ( free broadca/ "t = political 
adv]tis+  7a7 ,condition ( lic5se r5ewal
 ,section #cji7;h7 ( ! ,communications  
,act ( #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #cji7;h77 is
 am5d$ by ins]t+ be=e ! p]iod at ! end !
 foll[+3 2 & 7#d7 e television broadca/ 
/ation lic5se issu$ "u ?is ,act %all be 
subject to ! free broadca/ "t           
obligations impos$ by section #cae7;c74 
7b7 ,free "t obligations ,section #cae (
 ! ,communications ,act ( #aicd 7#dg    

,u4,s4,c4 #cae7 is am5d$-- 7#a7 by      
r$esignat+ subsections 7c7 ?r\gh 7e7 z  
subsections 7d7 ?r\gh 7f71 respectively2
 &  7#b7 by ins]t+ aft] subsection 7b7 !
 foll[+ new subsection3  7c7 7#a7 ,ea*  
lic5see = a television broadca/+ /ation 
%all annually make available free       
broadca/ "t = political adv]tis+ 9      
accordance ) ! requirem5ts ( ?is        
subsection4 ,! ,commission %all n r5ew !
 lic5se ( any lic5see :o sub/antially   
fails or refuses to comply ) !          
requirem5ts ( ?is subsection1 b su*     
lic5see %all n be subject to any o!r    
sanction or rem$y = su* failure or      
refusal4  7#b7 ,a lic5see subject to ?is
 subsection %all allot free broadca/ "t 
to ea* qualifi$ political c&idate 9     
accordance ) ! foll[+ /&>ds3  7,a7 ,su* 
lic5see %all allot an equal am\nt1 b n  
less ?an #b h\rs1 ( free broadca/ "t ea*
 ev5-numb]$ ye> to ea* qualifi$         
political c&idate 9 a /atewide or       
national election4 ,9 ! case ( a        
television /ation ^: m>ket does n       

encompass all ( a congressional di/rict1
 su* lic5see may apportion to ea*       
qualifi$ c&idate f su* di/rict a        
fraction ( su* #b h\rs t is equal to !  
fraction ( su* di/rict's population t   
resides )9 su* m>ket1 z det]m9$ 9       
accordance ) regulations prescrib$ by ! 
,commission4  7,b7 ,! free broadca/ "t  
allott$ to any c&idate "u subp>agraph   
7,a7 %all be compos$ ( units ( v>y+     
l5g?s ( n m ?an #e m9utes nor less ?an  
#aj seconds1 z det]m9$ by negotiation   
betwe5 su* c&idate & ! lic5see4  7,c7 ,!
 broadca/ "t allott$ by any lic5see %all
 be allott$ s t-- 7i7 at lea/ "o-half is
 broadca/ dur+ ! h\rs ( #g3jj p4m4 to   
#aj3jj p4m42  7ii7 dur+ any election    
ye>1 at lea/ two-?irds is broadca/ dur+ 
! #b mon?s imm$iately prec$+ election   
day & at lea/ "o-half is broadca/ dur+ !
 #c weeks imm$iately prec$+ election    
day2  7iii7 ea* qualifi$ c&idate is     
allott$ free broadca/ "t t is comp>able1
 by "t ( day & day ( week1 to ! "t      
allott$ to o!r qualifi$ c&idates = !    

same (fice2 &  7iv7 no broadca/] %all   
allot m ?an #da_/b h\rs p] week ( free  
broadca/ "t = political adv]tis+ &1 if !
 am\nt ( "t requir$ to be allott$ by ?is
 p>agraph w\ld exce$ #da_/b h\rs1 ! "t  
requir$ to be allott$ ea* qualifi$      
c&idate %all be r$uc$ proportionately4  
7,d7 ,! broadca/ "t %all be us$ solely =
 programm+ consi/+ ( un$it$ segm5ts 9   
:i* ! c&idate speaks directly to !      
cam]a4  7#c7 ,a c&idate %all be treat$ z
 a qualifi$ political c&idate = purposes
 ( p>agraph 7#b77;,a7 if ! c&idate's    
p>ty1 9 ! mo/ rec5t /atewide or national
 election1 receiv$ m ?an #b p]c5t ( !   
total numb] ( votes4  7#d7 ,a lic5see   
allots free broadca/ "t z requir$ by ?is
 subsection by broadca/+ /atem5ts )\t   
remun]ation or comp5sation 9 any =m1    
:e!r by public or private funds1 tax    
d$uction or cr$it1 or o!rwise4  7#e7    
,no?+ 9 ?is subsection1 & no use ( free 
broadca/ "t allott$ "u ?is subsection1  
%all be con/ru$ to re/rict or o!rwise   
affect ! pur*ase ( adv]tis+ "t "u       

subsection 7b7 ( ?is section4  4  #c4   
,cable broadca/+ ( political adv]tis+   
,section #faa ( ! ,communications ,act (
 #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #eca7 is am5d$--  
7#a7 by r$esignat+ subsection 7f7 z     
subsection 7g72 &  7#b7 by ins]t+ aft]  
subsection 7e7 ! foll[+ new subsection3 
7f7 ,a cable op]ator %all annually make 
available free cable "t = political     
adv]tis+ 9 accordance ) ! requirem5ts ( 
regulations prescrib$ by ! ,commission4 
,su* regulations %all1 to ! ext5t       
practicable1 require ea* su* cable      
op]ator to provide su* free cable "t 9 !
 same am\nts & mann]1 to ! same eligible
 political c&idates1 & subject to ! same
 conditions z free broadca/ "t is       
requir$ to be provid$ by television     
broadca/ /ation lic5sees "u section     
#cae7;c74 ,no fran*ise au?ority %all    
r5ew ! fran*ise ( any cable op]ator t   
fails to comply ) su* regulations1 b su*
 op]ator %all n be subject to any o!r   
sanction or rem$y = su* failure or      
refusal4  4