PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.
H.R.851 / 106th Congress

Satellite Competition and Consumer Protection Act

See H.R.1554.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 25, 1999

Save Our Satellites Act of 1999 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish different predictive models for making determinations of the television broadcast signal boundaries of areas within the Grade B Contour of television broadcast stations for purposes of such Act and other Federal statutes and regulations. Requires any subscriber who, on February 24, 1999, is receiving from a satellite carrier for private home viewing secondary transmissions of programming contained in a primary transmission made by a network station, to be treated, during the period beginning on such date and until the FCC completes the above action, as residing in an unserved household for purposes of Federal copyright license requirements for secondary transmissions by satellite carriers.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Rep. Tauzin, W. J. (Billy) [R-LA-3] · R–LA

Committees

  • Judiciary Committee
  • Energy and Commerce Committee
69 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. See H.R.1554.

  2. Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 51.

  3. Committee on Judiciary discharged.

  4. Committee on Judiciary discharged.

  5. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Commerce. H. Rept. 106-79, Part I. Filed late, pursuant to previous special order.

  6. House Committee on Judiciary Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than April 16, 1999.

  7. Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Commerce. H. Rept. 106-79, Part I. Filed late, pursuant to previous special order.

  8. Mr. Tauzin asked unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce have until midnight on April 9 to file a report on H.R. 851. Agreed to without objection.

  9. Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

  10. Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  11. Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property.

  12. Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.

  13. Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

  14. Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection.

  15. Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  16. Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  17. Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  18. Introduced in House

  19. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.851 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.851 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.851 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.851 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources