In Depth
DTV Coupon Funds Running Out; Dems Want to Know Why
Democratic congressman are questioning how the Bush administration suddenly realized it is not going to have enough money to pay for administering the coupon program for the digital TV transition.
With a House Energy & Commerce Committee panel slated to hold a hearing tomorrow on the status of the transition, the panel’s chairman, U.S. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., and the chairman of its telecom panel, Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., are demanding to know how the shortfall happened.
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications & Information Administration provides $40 coupons to households to offset the costs of buying converter boxes. Those coupons must be used within 90 days. Some of the coupons that went out to households turned out not to have been used yet. That allows NTIA to send coupons to additional households, but NTIA told Congress last week it needs as much as $7 million reprogrammed to pay the extra administrative costs.
In a letter today to Meredith Baker, acting assistant secretary of the NTIA, Rep. Dingell and Rep. Martin questioned how NTIA could not have known in advance it was short of funds and demanded to know how much additional money will be needed to complete the transition.
They also asked what would happen if there were no congressional action.
“Absent congressional action, on what approximate date does NTIA anticipate it will run out of administrative funds for the program?” said the letter. Both congressmen have been critical of Republicans on DTV, arguing that not enough money was set aside to help consumers with the transition.
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Comments 4
Jay
You guys might want to double check your source for this story.
The coupon funds are not running out, they just might not have enough to repogram the existing expired coupons...
maria
And seriously, since when does $7mil mean anything to the govt (Dems or Reps)? Don't they buy toilet seats that cost that much for each one?
Jim Babb
The coupons haven't been used because people never got them or they expired before they got them. what is the idea with a expiration date anyway? this has been the biggest mess I have ever seen even for the government.
Mark Hill
They were intending that the republicans would have gotten the presidency again. After that they indended to dis-infrancize millions of americans from the communications net. They would then be able to do what ever they want in the congress and give the president absolute power. LOL Just like in Star Wars with the fall of the republic. What did she say? So this is what the death of democracy sounds like; Thunderous applause.
Paranoia or just too terrible to believe? I'm listening to the republicans in congress trying to vote this very minute to not allow an extension to the analog cut-off date.
Thank God Obahma was elected!!