Federal Communications Law Journal Volume 49 Issue 3 Article 2 4-1997 Digital Television and the Allure of Auctions: The Birth and Stillbirth of DTV Legislation Ellen P. Goodman Covington & Burling Follow this and additional works at: https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/fclj Part of the Communications Law Commons, and the Legislation Commons Recommended Citation Goodman, Ellen P. (1997) "Digital Television and the Allure of Auctions: The Birth and Stillbirth of DTV Legislation," Federal Communications Law Journal: Vol. 49 : Iss. 3 , Article 2. Available at: https://www.repository.law.indiana.edu/fclj/vol49/iss3/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law School Journals at Digital Repository @ Maurer Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Federal Communications Law Journal by an authorized editor of Digital Repository @ Maurer Law. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Digital Television and the Allure of Auctions: The Birth and Stillbirth of DTV Legislation Ellen P. Goodman* I. INTRODUCTION ................................... 517 II. ORIGINS OF THE DTV PRovIsIoNs OF THE 1996 ACT .... 519 A. The Regulatory Process ..................... 519 B. The FirstBills ............................ 525 1. The Commerce Committee Bills ............. 526 2. Budget Actions ......................... 533 C. The Passage of the 1996Act .................. 537 Ill. THE AFTERMATH OF THE 1996 ACT ................ 538 A. Setting the Stage .......................... 538 B. The CongressionalHearings .................. 542 IV. CONCLUSION ................................ 546 I. INTRODUCTION President Clinton signed into law the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (1996 Act or the Act) on February 8, 1996.1 The pen he used to sign the Act was also used by President Eisenhower to create the federal highway system in 1957 and was later given to Senator Albert Gore, Sr., the father of the highway legislation.