Washington – The White House issued a statement late Thursday calling on the House to move swiftly to pass the DTV date delay bill that just passed the Senate for a second time.
“Poor planning and inadequate funding of the DTV conversion means that millions of Americans risk being left in the dark on February 17th,” said White House spokeswoman Amy Brundage in a statement e-mailed to B&C.
“This bipartisan legislation which again passed unanimously in the Senate tonight appropriately acknowledges the needs of both the American consumer and the public safety community. We urge the House to move quickly to pass this bill, and we will work with Congress to improve the information and assistance available to Americans as the nation moves to digital television.”
It was Barack Obama’s transition team that first asked the House and Senate to move the DTV date, citing problems with the converter box coupon program and a general lack of DTV education funding.
The House earlier this week defeated a Senate DTV date-change bill.
