The U.S. Senate late yesterday by unanimous consent passed a bill to delay the digital TV transition until June 12.
Introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-WV, the latest version of the bill represented a compromise with Republicans led by Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas.
As part of the compromise, the Senate bill allows broadcasters to make the switch before the new June 12 deadline.
The House is expected to take up its version of a bill for DTV transition delay today. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., put the House bill on hold last week until the Senate acted.
Since the Obama administration has signaled its desire for pushing back the date, the DTV delay is beginning to look like a done deal.
The call for a delay was taken up early this month when the National Telecommunications and Information Administration ran out of funds to distribute converter box coupons, forcing it to put 2 million consumers on waiting lists.
Countering the Democrats' bills for a delay, House Republicans have crafted a bill aimed at resuming the distribution of the coupons by authorizing $250 million for the NTIA.
