A bill to require commercial television stations to maintain, and provide copies of, commercials and program promotions, and for other purposes.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Oct 18, 1993

Requires the Federal Communications Commission to prescribe a regulation requiring each commercial television broadcast station licensee and cable operator to: (1) maintain a copy of any commercial or program promotion for 30 days following its broadcast or transmission; (2) provide to any person, upon timely request, a video copy of any commercial or program promotion, subject to the payment of a reasonable charge for the cost of duplication; (3) maintain a copy of each complaint it receives regarding violent commercials or program promotions for a 12-month period, including any video which contains the subject of such complaint; (4) compile and maintain a record of each such complaint and the number of them received during the preceding 12 months; and (5) make a copy of such compiled material available, upon a written request, to the public.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Levin, Carl [D-MI] · D–MI

Committees

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Sen. Durenberger, Dave [R-MN]

Legislative record

Actions

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

Oct 18, 1993
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Oct 18, 1993
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13833-13834)
Oct 18, 1993
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

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

Introduced in Senate · Oct 18, 1993 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

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 S.1556 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

Discuss S.1556, 103rd Congress: A bill to require commercial television stations to maintain, and provide copies of, commercials and program promotions, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/senate-bill/1556

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1993-10-18.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/103/bills/s1556/BILLS-103s1556is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:05:21Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.1556 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.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.1556 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

Discuss S.1556, 103rd Congress: A bill to require commercial television stations to maintain, and provide copies of, commercials and program promotions, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/senate-bill/1556

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1993-10-18.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/103/bills/s1556/BILLS-103s1556is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:05:21Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1556 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.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.1556 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

Discuss S.1556, 103rd Congress: A bill to require commercial television stations to maintain, and provide copies of, commercials and program promotions, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/senate-bill/1556

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1993-10-18.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/103/bills/s1556/BILLS-103s1556is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:05:21Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1556 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.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.1556 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

Discuss S.1556, 103rd Congress: A bill to require commercial television stations to maintain, and provide copies of, commercials and program promotions, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/senate-bill/1556

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1993-10-18.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/103/bills/s1556/BILLS-103s1556is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:05:21Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.1556 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.