H.R. 1789: Local and Independent Television Protection Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-03-14 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-03-14 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Local and Independent Television Protection Act of 2019

Plain summary

Local and Independent Television Protection Act of 2019 This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to eliminate the ultrahigh frequency (UHF) discount, which applies to entities that own commercial television stations. Currently, the FCC's National Television Multiple Ownership Rule prohibits an entity from owning television stations that reach more than 39% of U.S. households. However, the UHF discount enables an entity to discount the number of households reached by its UHF stations by half. The bill eliminates this discount, increasing from 50% to 100% the number of attributed television households in a television station's market area. This change does not apply to certain television stations that were owned prior to September 26, 2013.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Local and Independent Television Protection Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2] · 11 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), James P. McGovern (D-MA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2] reported raising $1.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr1789.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr1789 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116