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H.R. 5659: Protecting Community Television Act

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H.R. 5659: Protecting Community Television Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-01-21 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2020-01-21 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. 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

Protecting Community Television Act

Plain summary

Protecting Community Television Act This bill revises the definition of a franchise fee that is paid by a cable operator or cable subscriber to encompass only a tax, fee, or other monetary assessment that is imposed by a franchising authority or other governmental entity.

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

Protecting Community Television Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18] · 38 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Peter Welch (D-VT), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Richard E. Neal (D-MA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Grace Meng (D-NY), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Ed Case (D-HI), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), William R. Keating (D-MA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA)

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 (1)
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).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-hr5659 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116